Little One
by Joy1
Summary: Max and Logan have their baby at home and healthy. Last chapter!
1. Baby

Title: Little One

Title: Little One

Name: Joy 

Email: SleepingBeauty2@ziplip.com

Rating: PG

A/N: This is the third and final of my continuing series of Timing and Fiona. 

IF you have not read the other two it will stand on its own. Max and Logan are married and Max is pregnant. Bling is married to Logan's sister Fiona. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hey there Little One," Logan whispered to the small bulge in his wife's stomach. Max was sleeping soundly, but Logan was too excited since tomorrow he would get the first picture of his child. Everything that he and Max had gone through to get to that moment had been haunting his mind all evening. He wanted this child, their child to be happy, healthy, and perfect for Max. All of her fears of the possible problems had caused her to have high blood pressure thus far. 

"Well, I just wanted to take this time to introduce myself. I'll be known, as papa and the lady you reside in will be mama. She is gonna have a lot more time with you here at the beginning, so I wanted to take this time for just us while she's asleep."

"I'm gonna make a lot of mistakes…just know that coming in. Your mom and I won't be typical parents, nor will you be a typical kid. I know that Max, your mom, and I will do everything to make your childhood as happy and carefree as possible. She's really into you being a real kid. We'll always love you and do our best to protect you."

"Fight hard Little One. We both want you so much. You mean the world to us. I never saw myself as a dad until your mom told me about you. Now all I can think about is getting to spend the rest of my life getting to know you and watching you grow… Make it through this pregnancy and I promise to get you whatever you want when you arrive. Lucky for me, it will probably be your mom's breasts… I'm fond of them too… Never mind… Give us a chance. You won't be sorry."

Logan Cale leaned down and kissed his wife's stomach. "Logan," Max said groggily, "Are you talking to the baby?" 

"Yes," he admitted shame faced.

"Did you just say something about liking my breasts to our child?"

"Well, I figured it would be a guaranteed commonality between us," he said shrugging his shoulders.

"You're a sick and twisted man… Go to sleep… I don't want to wake up with you at my belly again tonight, OK." She yawned, "Once a night is all you get for waking the mother of your child for belly time."

"All right," he said as Max snuggled into his chest after he patted her swollen abdomen. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Logan had spent a considerable amount of time and money locating a doctor that specialized in "high risk" pregnancies that would be a suitable for his wife and child. The doctor selected had been a geneticist for several years, working with gene therapy to correct neonatal defects. This particular doctor also was a close friend of Fiona's in England. When the prospect of having to trust someone with the health and safety of his wife and child, Dr. Jessica Spencer seemed the best choice. Her relationship with Fiona supplied the motive for seeking her help with this "high risk" pregnancy as well as her silence about the genetic anomalies she was bound to see. Logan and Fiona employed Jess to take a Sabbatical from teaching in London and be Max's OBGYN. So far the plan was working well. At the end of the pregnancy, they were planning to move Max to another state to give birth so there would be no record of Max in Seattle. 

Jessica was a slender woman of five feet seven inches with radiate red hair and very pale skin. She looked very much like what Pippy Long Stockings would have looked like when fully grown. She had a quiet energy about her that radiated to others. If she was excited about something, others were as well. 

The first appointment Max had with Jessica was mainly time for Max to become acquainted with the woman who would know her intimately over the next several months. Jessica started by telling Max several embarrassing stories about herself as well as a few stories about her capers with Fiona. Jessica told Max quite seriously that she would never jeopardize her friendship with Fiona by betraying Max or probing too far into her genetic makeup. From then on the relationship was strong with a bond that grew in confidence and trust over time. 

Logan held Max's hand as Jessica put the slippery substance on Max's slightly protruding stomach. She smiled up at him with the same loving expression she did the day they got married. He brushed the hair out of his wife's face and remembered her voice on the day they eloped. "I, Max Guevara, take you, Logan Cale, to be my lawful husband…" She was so calm… He still marveled at how calm she was. There was no waver in her voice or fear in her eyes. 

It was a sunny Saturday afternoon in Colorado. A month had passed since Bling and Fiona's wedding. Max wore Fiona's wedding dress from her day as the child bride of seventeen. Max had it altered to look more like her. The back of the dress was completely altered so that there was a plunging back and no train. Logan was dressed in a gray suite she had picked for him. He wore no vest or tie, opting for a collar button instead. For some reason Max liked it a lot. She commented later how hot and bothered she got looking at Logan during the ceremony. 

The only witnesses of the blessed event were newlyweds Fiona and Bling, Original Cindy, and Zack, who refused to actually come into the judge's office for the ceremony. Their other siblings were advised to stay away by their big brother, for security reasons. He did his best to be her brother that day, but the absolute loss of Max to Logan was very painful for the solider, let alone knowing she was baring his child. The upcoming months would test his heart and his head, but for the day he was present. 

Fiona did her best to soothe her pseudo brother in law. She sat outside the office with Zack for a while in silence before venturing a few words. "No one will ever be good enough for her or love her the way you do or protect her the way you did…" she stated with a pause as he turned toward her with curiosity. "My brother has felt the same way…twice now. No one can take Max from your heart. The bond between siblings is strong. You won't be shut out of her life…I promise. I won't let it happen… Logan can be territorial but then all men can," she said nudging him, getting what looked surprisingly like a smile from the blond man. "I'll make you a deal. We'll work on figuring out how for you to be a brother to Max and an uncle to her child, and I'll go to bat for you with Logan, if need be."

"Why would you do that?" Zack asked in a gruff manner.

"Because it took Logan a long time to figure out how to be my brother as an adult… I don't want Max to suffer through the lose of her brother the way I did… Besides we're family now," Fiona said with a smile.

"Family?!?" he whispered. "I'll try…and you'll be sure Logan doesn't take her away completely?"

"That's the deal."

"It's better than nothing…" Zack said with a far off look at Max as Logan patted her stomach lovingly. 

No reception, few pictures, and even fewer customs followed the wedding. Logan and Max just exchanged vows to one another with heartfelt love and commitment. Marriage was more attractive to her now that the child in her belly grew and the public humiliation she used to believe in faded way. 

Logan caressed his wife's face as Dr. Spencer rolled the ultra sound wand over her stomach. This was the moment they had been waiting for. Max bit her lip as they waited to see their baby. "Mr. & Mrs. Cale," Jess said in grand fashion, "May I introduce you to your child."

They sat dumb founded staring at the small monitor watching the tiny nebulous form that was curled in a ball. Jessica pointed out the baby's head, back, legs, and arms. Logan's eyes filled with tears while Max already gave into the urge and cried openly. The most exciting moment for the new parents was when they heard their child's heart beating. Little One was very real and alive with a heartbeat to prove it. Eyes glowed with pride and tears as they clutched hands. The couple had no words to express the emotions they were feeling. They just stared into the other's eyes, feeding off each other's joy and love.

Dr. Spencer smiled as the happy couple giggled back and forth, passing the stethoscope to one another to hear the glorious sound over and over again. "Everything looks really good right now. We'll run an amniocentesis when you're further along to see what we'll be faced with on the genetics side of things. The baby is very strong and reactive…good signs…I'll leave you alone with your child and I'll see you in a couple weeks," Jessica said as she exited the room.

"Little One, this is your papa… You look great," Logan said to Max's tummy. "I'm going to treat you and mama to some ice cream. Better tell her now what you're in the mood for," he said with a smile.

"We'll have to discuss it and let ya know later…" Max responded.

"See… Now, do you see why I need belly time with my child? You get all day long to bond with Little One, and I only an occasional conversation."

"More like monologue… So I take it you've decided the baby should be called Little One?" Max asked as she buttoned up her shirt. 

"It works… Affectionate and loving without a pull towards a gender," Logan said trying to explain his choice. "So what do you want the baby to be?" he asked with a smirk.

"Healthy… either is fine as long as Little One is healthy," She said hugging her husband. 

"The name grows on you, doesn't it?"

"Yeah," she sniffled. "You owe us ice cream… vanilla for me and chocolate peanut butter for the baby."

"Little One tell you so…"

"In a way… I can't stand chocolate peanut butter so the baby must want it."

"That is normally referred to as a craving," Logan taunted a bit. 

"What Little One wants Little One gets… Got it papa!" Max stated with hand on her hip as they exited the doctor's office. 

"You got it Mama… And may I say our child is going to have one hot mama…" he said earning a slap from his wife. "If it's a boy, he'll suffer through having his friends lust after you… You'll be the mom the boys in the neighborhood will fantasize about."

"And if it's a girl, she'll have to put up with all her friends mooning over her papa… They'll all think you have the dreamiest eyes…and that'll be your undoing. One of those little girls will have memorized your eyes so well she'll realize you're Eyes Only," Max teased back while Logan merely laughed at the notion. 

The Cales climbed into their car and headed for the nearest ice cream shop. 


	2. Jealousy

Title: Jealousy

Title: Jealousy

Name: Joy

Email: SleepingBeauty2@ziplip.com

Rating: PG-13

"Come on Zack! I was told you were awesome at this… You're barely keeping up," Fiona screamed.

"You're motorcycle is much newer and nicer then mine," he yelled back then gunned it to get ahead of his new 'sister'. Zack and Fiona weaved in and out of traffic all over the city playing cat and mouse. At one point when Fiona was ahead she cut her headlights and slammed on her brakes. She spun her wheels on the dusty road to blind Zack to some degree and took off in the other direction. Zack soon adjusted his eyesight to pick her up in the dark and let her get a bit ahead so she thought she had lost him. 

Fiona found this great fun only to have Zack cut her off a few minutes later. She laughed and said, "Race you to Logan's!" She was off like a bat out of hell. Zack did his best to catch her on the motorcycle but knew he would make up time on the stairs at the building. Fi had already parked her bike and gotten half way up the stairs when Zack finished parking. He flew up the stairs, taking the last several steps backwards. They both laughed heartily as Fiona opened the door to the apartment where they were met by three pairs of angry eyes. 

"Where have you been?" Logan shouted.

"Calm down," Max said trying to pull her husband back from getting in her brother's face.

"Yeah, Logan! Chill out. We were riding… No harm, no foul!" Fiona said to her overly protective brother, trying to figure out why everyone was hyper. 

Logan turned to his baby sister, " Why didn't you answer your pager or your cell? We were worried sick."

"Hey! Back off. We were playing… I didn't hear them."

"I'll just bet you were playing!" Logan snapped at Zack.

"Hey! What the hell does that mean?" Fiona snapped back. Zack and Logan were in a stare off. "IF you are suggesting what I think you are… Answer me!" she screamed pushing her brother to face her and not Zack. When he didn't say anything she went to Bling and Max, "Is that what you think too? You think that I was cheating on you with Max's brother!" she shouted. Silence reigned for a minute. "How dare you! How dare all of you! My brother doesn't like to bike or play at all…and Max can't right now. Forgive me for living up to the promise I made to Zack at your wedding! I don't need this crap…especially not from you Logan. You may have issue with Zack- honestly not for very good reasons- but to question my fidelity? I'm disgusted! I'm out!" Fiona turned her boots and headed for the door. 

"Oh, what a fun family visit?! At least I have someone on my team now," Zack said quietly and headed out as well. A few steps out the door both heard glass shattering in Logan's apartment. When they reached the garage Fi was still nonverbal with anger. "Want to shoot stuff?" Zack asked casually.

Fiona broke down and laughed a little. "That sound's good." They drove out of the garage without noticing Bling just getting to the level. He watched his wife ride off with a man that at least in the past had feelings for his sister. Bling wasn't convinced that Zack had the purist intentions for his wife. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I didn't catch her," Bling said looking forlorn when he arrived back in the penthouse. 

"I just screwed up royally!" Logan said as he stared at his hands in his lap on the floor cleaning up the plate he broke. "I don't understand what happened. I lost it for no good reason…they were late, that's all. I was trying to control her again. No wonder she didn't talk to me for three years."

"We're jealous…that's all," Max said with an air of calm that had settled over her in the last few months. The pregnancy made her emotions run wild but also lent her serenity. Both men just stared at her for a moment as she patted her belly. 

"What am I jealous of Zack for?" Logan protested. Bling snickered. "What?!"

"She's right man… We're jealous. I'm jealous that my wife's hanging out with this young guy that reminds me of her first husband. They've got a lot in common which makes me nervous… I shouldn't be but I am," Bling confessed then turned his attention to Logan. "You, on the other hand, are so jealous I'm surprised you haven't tried to kill the boy."

"I am not! I have no reason to be! I married Max, not him!" Logan proclaimed much to his wife's amusement. "What's so funny?"

"'I married Max' like I'm a trophy. You won… he lost. Whatever. He's my brother… he never had a chance with me," Max said simply folding her arms.

"Logan… You're now battling him over Fiona rather than Max. Fiona takes even less kindly then Max to being a prize in a contest," Bling pointed out.

"Then why isn't he being punished?"

"He didn't push the contest… You did. You made it a 'me or him' fight. You'll lose every time with that one. It's not that she doesn't love you, it's that you're being domineering," Bling responded. "She'll come back when she's less mad… I don't expect that to be anytime soon… Right now, I'm just hoping she comes home tonight! After not disputing the accusation, I'll be lucky if I see our bed tonight." He hung his head in shame. 

"Don't feel so bad… I'm jealous she's getting to do all the fun stuff I want to do with Zack that he wouldn't do with me. He was always solider boy with me. Fiona engages him as a little brother… He doesn't have to be strong with her, he just has to be Zack. I envy the fact that she's the one he lets in. I didn't want his heart so I lost him as a brother. She's his confidant and friend… and dammit that pisses me off," Max said in frustration. "I want my Zack back… I wanted a brother, the brother that saved me. Now I have a great sister-in-law that is really trying to help him figure out what it means to be a sibling and I'm pissed that he's learning it with her!"

"Well this sucks. Where do you think they went?" Logan asked.

"To shoot something," Max said calmly.

"You're kidding?" Logan asked. Max shook her head. "Would Fi go with him?" 

"Probably… I'm betting there are already a few tin cans shot down with your name on them," Bling responded. 

"Great. Just great!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A dark abandoned lot was where Zack and Fiona ended up taking their frustrations out on harmless soda cans. "For a civilian you're a pretty good shot," Zack said to Fi.

"Thanks. Logan taught me," she said leveling her aim to take out the cans in succession. Five cans went down in a row with great speed. 

"You're very good," Zack said with a small smile. "Logan really taught you? He doesn't strike me the gun type."

"Sure… Dad was a hunter. Dad taught Logan, Logan taught me. We were wealthy so we had one of those stupid plate tossers so we could practice hitting moving targets. I had a real knack for it… which is why I didn't hunt," she said handing the gun back to Zack, who stared at her curiously. "I knew that if I began to hunt, I'd never want to stop. I'm too perfectionistic to have a hobby where I win when something's dead."

"Good point… Is that how you see me…and Max?" 

"No… I see you as… well as the best and worst in all of us. You prove to me that the depravity of man is so huge that people could raise you to be killers and then hunt you down to 'reprogram' you like you aren't human. Yet, I know for Max, you fight to keep yourself from the darkness that is second nature to you. It makes me believe more strongly in God…because I know that only God could instill a sweet soul in you both when you were surrounded by death," Fiona said with confidence.

Zack stared at her. "How do you know I have a sweet soul? I've done such evil things… I've killed people… I…" he stumbled through the words and knelt down on the ground. 

Fiona followed him down. "You love your siblings more than anything. Protecting them is the most important thing in the world. You love them with all of your being. You would lay down your life for them… You are a good man," she said caressing his cheek like he was a little kid. "I've seen you be strong for everyone… Let yourself be weak for a few minutes. Just let go."

Zack relaxed laying his head in Fiona's lap. He began to mew like a cat for a minute as he let a couple tears fall. "Why do you love me?" he asked quietly.

"Because… you're my little brother… I'm here to protect you," Fiona whispered back and kissed the top of his head. In those moments a bond was formed thicker then any Zack had before. Someone loved him because they chose to… Fiona chose to make him family and he could count on her to be there for him when the weight of the world was too much. "We should probably go back and except apologize from our overly zealous family. I'll probably apologize for splitting, just so you know."

"Why?"

"Well, because I didn't give them a chance to fix it right then. I stormed off… I'm good at that. I'm known for my great exits in big fights."

"Alright… I don't think I can apologize for anything… I'm not sure what I did wrong?" 

"You didn't!" Fiona said with a laugh. "Logan owes us big apologizes… You're staying with Bling and I tonight. We'll find a way to bridge some of this stuff with him… I think its just frustration to see me have fun with you instead of him. Plus you're closer to my age…in his mind at least. He's mentioned a resemblance to my first husband that I don't see… I think it's your white," she said with a giggle. "Let's hit the penthouse."

"After you!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fiona and Zack reentered Logan's penthouse more calmly then they left. Max was asleep on the couch while Logan was typing away at his computer. Bling was cleaning up the rest of the dinner dishes. All three were alert enough to be at attention when the wayward souls returned. 

Bling called for Fiona while Max called for Zack as soon as the door was heard. Bling made his way to his wife, "I'm sorry Fi. I'm so sorry… I'm just jealous of the time you spend with him and the joy he brings you. I know you would never cheat on me… I'm just insecure you're going to like spending time with him more then me."

Max launched into her shpeal, "Zack… I'm sorry. I'm happy your finally able to be… well, less Manticore. It's just hard that you're doing it with her and not me… I'll live. I am sorry though."

Bling and Fiona hugged and kissed, whispering back and forth. Zack looked at them with longing. He turned back to his sister, "It's ok Maxie. Hopefully the whole 'less Manticore' thing can carry over into other areas."

Logan cleared his throat bringing eight eyes on to him. Fiona and Zack stepped towards him. Fiona looked him up and down before crossing her arms to signify 'this better be good'. He lowered his eyes, "Uh… I'm an idiot. I was born an idiot… I will die an idiot."

"I could have told you that!" Zack snapped.

Fiona flicked his ear, "Hey… That's my big brother. He's trying… I can bust his chops, but you can't…not for a while at least. I protect you from him and vice versa, got it?"

"Yeah!" they said in unison.

Logan began again, "Zack… I'm sorry…" 'God this is hard,' Logan thought. "I've been waiting for you to take Max away from me for so long that I guess I just assumed you would do the same with Fi." Zack nodded…that was as good as Logan got. "Fi, I let my ego and frustration drag you into a conversation that didn't need to be happening. I didn't mean it… I would never… You're the most faithful person I know. I'm sorry."

Fiona gave Logan a big hug and kissed his cheek. "No problem Loggie. Everyone is entitled to being a moron every once in a while… You just indulge in it more often then most." He shot her a glare that was pure sibling. "We're cool," she said. "Now we need grub. Target practice makes me hungry."

"I told you that's what they were doing," Max announced very proud that she knew her brother that well. Everyone got a good laugh out of the expectant mother's childish way about her. 

Fiona nodded her head to Zack as they nonverbally argued over something. "Uh… Logan?" Zack began. "Can I talk to you?" 

Logan spoke slowly, "Sure… Why don't we go into the computer room?" The two men made their way into the room as Zack uncomfortably started to confide in Logan. "Hey… I know you're taking care of Max really well… Uh… I need a favor, but I think Max should be left out of it."

"Ok… Why?" 

"One of our sibs is… in trouble. If Max knows, she want to come along and I don't want anything to happen to the baby… your baby," Zack said looking down. It was the first time Zack had acknowledged Little One as both Max and Logan's rather then just Max's. 

"What do you need Zack?" Logan said with humility. 

"Sector passes from here to Colorado… Things kind of changed at your wedding," he said not meeting Logan's gaze.

"What changed?" 

"I wanted one of our sibs to be able to see the wedding and still keep her safe… Things just changed… I need to get back there and make sure everything is cool," he said cryptically. 

"I can have them to you tomorrow… I'll do my best to keep it from Max but I'm not going to lie," Logan said very matter-of-factly. 

"Fine… Thanks!" Zack said standing to go. 

"What are you two doing?" Max asked.

"Male bonding," said Zack with a straight face. 

"Fine, don't tell me!" she said with a pout. "There's ice cream out here."

Logan followed wondering who was in Colorado near where Max and he had married that Zack need to see. 'Fiona will know what's up. I'll pump her for information later,' he thought as he sat next to his sister and waited for his turn for Rocky Road. 


	3. Curiosity

Title: Curiousity

Title: Curiosity

Name: Joy

Email: SleepingBeauty2@ziplip.com

Rating: PG-13

Fiona and Logan spent a rainy Monday morning together as Bling and Max set up an exercise routine with Dr. Spencer. Zack was off to Colorado to 'check' on one of their sibs while Max never questioned what he and Logan had been discussing the night of the fight. Logan was less likely to let the topic drop. Zack asking for Logan's help for something other than saving Max meant that Hell had frozen over in Logan's opinion. 

"So Fi, you and Zack seem to have really become tight," Logan said as she stared at the rainy city. 

"This better not be heading where I think it is."

"Where's that?"

Fiona turned to face her brother, "With you asking me questions I can't answer."

"I'm just wondering what's in Colorado," he said with a smile.

"Zack told you what's in Colorado… You don't need to hear it from me," she shot back.

"But he comes and goes so easily through states. Why did he need my help this time?" Logan asked.

"Maybe it was a gesture of good faith?" Fiona replied sipping her tea. 

"I don't buy it. You know and you're not telling me."

"Let's just say things changed for Zack at the wedding and I'm not talking about finally accepting he lost Max to you. He accepted that a long… I mean a very long… time before. As much as you don't like Zack for him trying to 'take' Max from you, fact is he knew she didn't love him the way he wanted her to and she loved you. You tried so hard to make sure she wasn't taken from you that you didn't notice the way you pushed to keep him out of her life," Fiona said with a sigh.

Logan huffed at the prospect that he might actually have been the problem or at least it wasn't all Zack's fault. "Then what changed?"

"Several things… but one was my promise to him. He finally felt like he wasn't going to lose her entirely."

"That still doesn't explain Colorado," Logan commented with arms folded.

"It wasn't supposed to… It was to explain Zack."

"You're infuriating sometimes."

"But I'm good at it!" Fiona exclaimed.

"Hello all… Mother Max is doing great and Jessica has approved of the walking schedule I concocted," Bling said scurrying his sister in law in to the penthouse. 

"You're about as bad as Logan for Mother Hen Syndrome. Hey Hun, remember I have the amniocentesis on Thursday. You're all coming," Max demanded looking around the room. "Where is Zack?"

"Don't worry… He won't miss the test. He'll be back by Thursday," Fiona said much to everyone's surprise.

"He'll be back for the test?" Logan said raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah! He isn't about to have his baby sister go through a major marker in her pregnancy without him," she said to him with emphasis. 

"What's going on with you two?" Bling piped up.

"Yeah… You've been snippy…" Max contributed. 

"Just general sibling bickering," Fiona said. 

"So where has Zack gotten off to sis? Why'd he have to leave?" Logan prodded in front of Max, which got a glare from Fi.

"You know very well he was on his way to Colorado… You got him the sector passes!" she shot back. Both siblings we now pissed that the other had broken the code of silence. 

"What's in Colorado?" Max asked. "And why did you ask Fi, if you knew where Zack was?" she asked Logan. 

"You first," Logan said to his sister.

"No yours is more important."

"I agree," Max said folding her arms on her five-month pregnant stomach.

"Fine!" Logan said with a pout. "Fiona won't tell me why Zack left or who he was seeing so I set her up to have you prod, knowing she won't lie to you."

"Oh… but I'll lie to you?!" Fiona fussed.

"What about that jab about asking for the sector passes as a good faith gesture?!" Logan snapped back. 

"That's exactly **what it was** you big dork. He knew there were two towns that to go through that he would need sector passes for. Those towns are on the most direct route to his end location. I suggested he ask for your help to begin to smooth things over with you two," she said in frustration.

"Oh," Logan said with a sigh. 

"You got to stop thinking the worst of him Loggie. He's a good kid…really. He's trying… Max is 18 weeks along almost half way done. Do you really want your baby coming into the world with you still mistrusting its uncle?" Fi said quietly wrapping her arm around his waist. 

"No… Man, I suck at being a grown up sometimes," he said walking to Max. He dropped to his knees. " I'm sorry Little One. Your uncle Zack loves and protects your mama in ways I can't comprehend. I'll work on it ok… and on Thursday maybe your uncle Zack will talk to you." Max ran her fingers through her husband's hair as he kissed her stomach. He got to his feet and kissed Max as Fiona was snuggled by Bling. 

"So, why is my brother in Colorado?" Max said turning her attention to Fiona.

"No comment!" 

"Come on… Please! Tell the mother of your future niece or nephew."

"Yeah come on sis!" Logan chimed in.

"No way… I can keep a secret. If he had intended you to know he would have told you," Fiona said strongly.

"Well Logan do you know anything else about it?" Max asked.

"Don't even think about it!" Fiona warned.

"She asked… He said something about one of your sibs and not wanting to worry you," Logan said calmly. 

"Oh no… someone's in trouble and I can't help!" Max fussed.

"Max… Calm down. It doesn't mean that. He obviously didn't think it was that big of a deal because he promised he would be back by your test. It was something he knew he could handle on his own," Fiona said reassuringly. "I promise… He'll be fine."

"I don't like you keeping secrets," Max said with a pout. 

"Max, if it had been something dangerous I would have made him tell you, but he was worried about you and the baby. He didn't want you to worry needlessly this close to the test. Your blood pressure has been too high…" Fi said hugging her sister in law. 

Max became teary eyed for no real reason, "God I hate this part of pregnancy… I can't even deal with a minor disagreement with out crying." She turned her head to her stomach, "You better appreciate what I'm going through for you… Oh my… I think it kicked… I guess Little One didn't like that."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Zack, you are the coolest!" a blond on the back of his motorcycle said as they headed to Dr. Jessica Spencer's office. "When did you relax?"

"I don't know," he said a bit gruff.

"You don't fool me… This has something to do with my roommate," she said, as Zack's cheeks got slightly pink. "Come on… You like her… For two months you've been 'dropping by' a lot more and I know it's not to see my pretty face."

"What are you expecting me to say?" he snarled.

The blond woman just smiled, "I want you to say 'Maybe its not all phony sentimentality.' I want you to admit that there are other people in the world that can love us and understand us rather then just X-5 escapees."

"Well, I will admit that other people can love us… I'm still not sure about it _not being_ phony emotional stuff, OK? When we see Max, please keep your opinions to yourself. I'm not ready to deal with the Seattle fam picking at me."

"This place is becoming home for you isn't?" she asked.

"Until the baby is born…yeah. I don't know after that."

"Well, I can't wait to me the woman who conquered the CO… I know Rachel enjoyed seeing you relaxed." Zack's cheeks colored again. "I can't believe that the mere mention of a female's name can cause my brother to blush."

"I didn't either!" he exclaimed.

"Did too!" 

"I can leave you at the side of the road!"

"Fine!"

A few more minutes and the pair were parking in the garage. "They're already here," Zack said seeing the Aztec parked.

"Well, lets go."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Something's gone wrong. Zack said he would be here!" Max cried in the lobby.

"He will be… I promise," Fiona said rubbing her back.

Zack rounded the corner with the blond in tow, "What's with the water works, Maxie?" He leaned down to her level in the chair.

"Don't scare me like that! I didn't know what had happened. You took off without saying goodbye and Fiona was keeping secrets and…" Max fussed before she realized he wasn't alone. 

"I thought you might want company," he said softly drawing the blond toward Max.

"Hey, Maxie. You looked great at the wedding… I know you didn't see me but I got to see you. He's getting lax in his old age," she said nodding to Zack.

"Jondy? Is it really you?" Max said with tears streaming down her face. 

"In the flesh…"

"Thank you Zack… Thank you," Max muttered hugging Jondy.

Logan came up behind Zack and clapped his shoulder, "Thank you Zack." The two men looked at each other with a mutual respect that was growing. "When this is over why don't you guys spend time talking to the baby. Little One kicked for the first time a few days ago. I'm sure you'll get some response."

Dr. Spencer arrived to roll Max into the operating room. "Alright who's coming in?" She asked looking at the plethora of uncles and aunts in the waiting room. 

"Fiona is it ok if Jondy comes with Logan and I?" Max asked bashfully.

"No problem sweets. I knew about this surprise, remember? I didn't expect to go in," Fiona answered with a kiss on the cheek. Each person hugged Max before she disappeared behind the big metal doors. 

"I bet it's hard to be here," Fiona said to Zack after they'd been waiting a while.

"Yeah, I hate hospitals."

"Of course… Did you get to see her some?"

He blushed again, "I can't believe I blush every time she is mentioned." He said in frustration while racking his fingers through his hair. 

Fiona smiled, "That's normal."

"I can't do this."

"Yes, you can."

"No, I can't. I'm not a blushing type."

"Was Max a blushing type before she met Logan?" Fiona asked.

"No…but she's a girl," he said flustered. 

"You loved Max and she didn't cause this in you?"

"No."

"Well then, you get to have the fun, normal, human reactions to the opposite sex. Does she have a clue?" Fi asked resting her head on Zack's shoulder.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm getting you used to non-threatening touching by someone who loves you," she said very matter of fact. 

"Jondy knew so maybe Rachel knows."

"Rachel knows. Roommates talk… Rachel knows."

"What do I do?" Zack asked boyishly. 

"When you drop Jondy off, spend a couple days down there. Do a couple things with both of them, then ask her to do something alone."

"Why are you so good at this?" Zack asked.

Fiona threw her arm around Zack's shoulders and said, "Two husbands… Both amazing men with great hearts. I had the love story everyone envies until the shooting scene in the last chapter. Lucky for me there was a sequel involving my physical therapist." She looked over at her husband hovering with Original Cindy for information. 

"So, how long is this going to take?" Zack asked noticing time flying by. 

"Don't know."

Jondy came out crying with Logan who was yelling at a nurse. "That's my wife… that's my baby. They need me!"

"Logan, what's going on?" Bling said laying a hand on his friend's shoulder to steady him. 

Jondy wept but managed to say, "Something went wrong with the test."


	4. Terror

Title: Terror

**A/N: I see how it works… You guys review when you want something. Well fine… Here it is!**

** **

Title: Terror

Name: Joy

Email: SleepingBeauty2@ziplip.com

Rating: PG-13

Jondy wept but managed to say, "Something went wrong with the test."

Everyone was on their feet in a moment. "What do ya mean?" Cindy asked.

"I don't know," she said seeking shelter in Zack's arms. "It wasn't supposed to be like this. She was getting to have a normal life."

Logan stayed at the doors waiting to be told something or be let back in. No one was going to talk to him in this condition. Fiona came up to Logan and put her arms around him. "Come here Loggie. Come sit. Talk to me," she said softly. He turned around and clutched his sister for all she was worth. 

"I can't lose them now. I can't," he muttered.

"It's ok… She's strong." Fiona and Logan sat down and she got him to look at her. "What did Jessica say was happening?"

"She said that the test… She said that the needle…" he began to sob again. 

Fiona held his hand and said, "The needle started a spontaneous miscarriage?" Logan nodded his head and wept. "Logan, listen to me. You remember when I was pregnant with Ryan? The same thing happened… remember?" Logan's eyes met hers. "She's strong Logan… Your baby is strong… Ryan made it to full term."

The lobby was eerily silent with family while they absorbed the pain. Zack continued to hug Jondy while Cindy paced with Bling. Fiona sat with Logan constantly touching his hand or arm so that he would remember he wasn't alone. Waiting for news is the hardest thing for a family to do. No one functions at all. Twenty minutes of agony were ended by Jessica reappeared to talk to Logan. "What's going on?" he asked.

"Fiona… You might want to come with us," she said quietly. Both Cales feared the worst. When they got behind the large metal doors Jessica began, "Max is alright for the most part. She is on oxygen and saline so that you know. Your baby isn't as well. There is partial separation from the uterus…Meaning a miscarriage at this point is what we want to prevent. We hope that with medicine and rest the situation will improve. I know you didn't want her checked into the hospital under her own name, but I can't release her to be moved. I checked her in as Alexis Saint. I don't know what else to do. I did get the fluid we need to begin to the tests… I can already tell you, your son is a fighter. He was very reactive to what was going on."

"Son… We're going to have a boy?" Logan asked.

"YES!" Zack screamed from the lobby. 

"My brother in law… He has amazing hearing…" Logan tried to cover.

"OH… Well… You didn't want to know, did you?" Jessica said with a grimace. 

"Actually, with the stress of the last several minutes… I needed to hear something that made him more real," Logan said with a sigh. 

"Glad to help then."

Fiona was still holding Logan's hand with tears in her eyes. "Go be with Max. I'll be the drill sergeant out here," she said with a hug as they parted company.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The door to Max's hospital opened revealing Logan. "Hey babe," she whispered with tubes in her arm and nose. 

"Hey," he said softly sitting close to her, caressing her face and hair. "You scared me," Logan said with a kiss to her temple.

"I scared me too," she whispered crying a bit. They embraced through the tangle of tubes. "What if…" she began to sob.

"Ssshhh… It didn't. It didn't happen. You're both going to be fine," he said kissing her lips.

"Logan, it's a boy. I heard the nurses talking about how strong and reactive he is… We're going to have a son!"

"I know. Jess let it slip when we were in the hall."

Max rolled her eyes, "I doubt it… I said I wasn't going to tell you as a joke. I guess she thought I was serious because she said it was wrong to keep it from you."

"Clever lady."

"That's why she makes the big bucks."

Logan stroked Max's cheek and said, "Well, Fiona was with me when Jess 'slipped' so I'm sure the lobby knows, plus Zack 'overheard' the conversation. He must have really wanted you to have a boy by the excited yell that came from the waiting room."

Max chuckled, "Old joke." Logan looked at her quizzically. "We did have some Literature classes at Manticore. When we read MacBeth, Zack loved the line about Lady MacBeth only bearing 'man children'. He said I was like that… I can't believe he brought Jondy to see me."

"He's really changing… You're gonna have to stay here for a while so for the time being you're Alexis Saint. I'm sure Zack and Jondy will keep watch over you."

"Sounds like a plan," she said with confidence rubbing her belly. "Hear that munchkin? Your uncle Zack and aunt Jondy will be staying to take care of us."

"You ready to see people yet?" Logan asked placing his hand on Max's stomach.

"Not yet. We need some time alone," she said snuggling into his arms. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fiona came out to the waiting area to see many frightened faces. "Has Zack already filled you in?"

"No! Bionic Boy screamed then shut up," Original Cindy said with much annoyance.

"Who the hell are you anyway?" Jondy said getting in Cindy's face.

"Jondy, calm down. This is Cindy, Original Cindy. She was Max's roommate," Zack said putting his arm around Jondy to prevent her from taking a swing at her or something stupid. "She's one of the Seattle fam, k?" Jondy nodded. 

"Seattle fam?" Bling asked.

"That's what he calls us to explain Max's situation to the other sibs," Fiona said quietly. "Alright… Max is registered as Alexis Saint. She can't be moved until the meds have taken affect."

"That's not what the doc said," Jondy snapped.

"But she's been through this…so she knows," he said to pacify his sister.

"Ok, you two are best equipped to 'watch' over Max to make sure nothing funny happens. The rest of us should get stuff for Max and Logan to be comfy for a couple days… And last but not least… It's a boy," Fiona stated. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Max and Jondy sat in her room while Logan called in favors to protect Max's identity. Jondy began quietly, "So you trust this Doc? What about this Fiona chick? What's her story? Come to think of it…I don't even know how you and Logan got together."

"Well since they all go together I'll give you the short version… I broke into Logan's place to rip him off. He knew enough about Manticore to recognize a Chimera in action. I helped him with his fight against crime and he helped me find you guys. We became friends and then more. When we got serious Logan's sister, Fiona, showed up on the scene to meet me and to live closer to her boyfriend Bling, Logan's physical therapist. They got hitched and we followed their example. Fiona, Bling, and Logan researched to find the best doc for me during the pregnancy. Jessica is one of the best in her field and a good friend of Fiona's. Fiona has been doing an amazing job taming Zack so I see her as the miracle worker," Max explained.

"Zack was being tamed prior to Fiona…believe me!"

"What do you mean?" Max asked.

Jondy got a cocky smile and said, "Let's just say Fiona is encouraging a change that someone else inspired."

"WHAT?!?"

"Zack would kill me!"

"Fess up, Jondy. You know you want to tell me!"

"You're right… Zack has a thing for my roommate Rachel. When I moved, she moved. We're that tight. Anyway, I've never seen Zack go do-eyed before."

"No way."

"Oh yeah! You say her name, he blushes!" Jondy announced.

"Hell is officially frozen!"

Zack walked into the room as the girls were chuckling about his sad state of affairs. "I told the nurse staff that we have a restraining order against our over zealous father who is in the military. I gave them a picture and everything… We should be good."

"Thanks Zack. Come and sit with me," Max began, patting the bed. "Help me out here. I'm trying to think of boy names and all I can come up with are girl names. I thought about Elizabeth after Logan's mom."

"I'm not good at this stuff Max," he said gruffly.

Max pretended a light bulb lit in her head. " Rachel? What do you think of Rachel, Zack?" she said with a huge smile.

Zack glared at Jondy who was cracking up. "I hate you," he muttered. "What part of 'keep your opinions to yourself' did you not grasp?"

"Come on… After what she just went through, I can deny her nothing," Jondy said rocking her chair back. 

"I'm sorry I was teasing… It's just Fi gets all the details and I don't even get the name. It kind of sucks," Max said with a pout. 

"Fine. Now you know."

"Oh… Come on… Tell me something!" she pled.

"Like what?" Zack asked shrugging his shoulders, oblivious how to conduct girl talk especially with two girls who sucked at it. 

"Well, why her? You are a hot boy… It's in the genes, ya know," Jondy joked. "Why her?"

Zack twisted on the bed uncomfortably, "I don't know… I guess because she was never intimidated or threatened by me. Whenever she looked me in the eye I couldn't be gruff… she saw past the wall. She seemed to like having me around… She's really gentle. I like that." Both of his sisters smile at him. "Stop that!" he snapped.

"We're just happy for you," Max said rubbing his arm.

"Yeah… I get to see my big brother much more often and my roommate is on cloud nine when you're around," Jondy commented.

Zack looked slightly shocked, "Really?"

"Oh yeah. You two stared at each other for five minutes easy before speaking the last time you came into town. I thought she might actually reach over and kiss you."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah!"

"I thought about it," Zack said looking at his hands.

"So did she… before you say anything, yeah she told me so," the blond sister said to her rough and tumble brother. 

"She won't want to have anything to do with me the minute she realizes what I am…" he spit out with anger in his eyes.

"You're a moron, ya know that?"

"Why?" 

"She moved with me… She knows all about the nice men in military gear and guns looking for us. Rachel knows exactly what she's getting into. She even understands you moving around all the time to check on us," Jondy stated with crossed arms. 

"You put her in danger by telling her…" Zack began to grow agitated. He calmed down then said, "Sorry… Force of habit... So…she knows." He sat bewildered for a moment. 

A minute later Jondy's cell phone went off. "Hello… Hey… Sorry, I forgot to call. We arrived just before the procedure. Life's been crazy… I'll let Zack explain it to you since I was in the middle of something with Max," Jondy said removing the phone from her ear and handing it to Zack. 

He stared at the phone until Max mouthed, "It's Rachel… Take the Call!"

Zack took the phone from his sister's outstretched hand. "Hey Rachel. Yeah… We made good time…" A smile started showing in the corners of his lips. "Well, I promised to return her in one piece…" Zack said as the smile grew. He turned from his sisters aware of their inquisitive eyes. 

"He's got it bad!" Jondy whispered.

"Yeah… I remember doing this with Logan, talking on the phone and having no ability to stay cool in front of your friends because of the person on the line. Your heart beats too fast, your mouth is always dry, and you'll smile at anything."

"I want that," Jondy pouted.

Max kissed her sister's head, "You'll find it… If Zack can, we all can."

"So… uh… When Jay and I get back in town why don't we go to one of those coffeehouses with the musicians you keep telling me about? Yeah… I'd like that too… I don't know how long we'll be with Max in the hospital and all… I hope not too long," Zack said sheepishly. 

Both sisters smiled at him. He seemed startled by their attention; "I better give you back to Jondy… Yeah…" He turned from them again and said, "… I … I miss you." She said something that made him laugh because a great belly laugh came and he responded, "Well Jondy might want to see me some… You're right. She does get to see me now… Here she is." Zack handed the phone back to Jondy and smiled as they switched spots. 

"Going to steal my brother, are you?" Jondy said making her way to the hallway out of earshot. 

"It's not all phony sentimentality, is it?" Max asked Zack putting her hand on his.

"I guess not… It's different…"

"Yeah… It is," she said rubbing her swollen belly. "Lydecker would be so disappointed."

"Good," Zack said with a genuine smile. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The days passed without incident. Original Cindy and Jondy spend time playing cards with Max while Bling helped over see the managing of her case so fewer nurses would come in contact with her chart. Zack and Logan prepared different game plans for the actual birth along with aliases and 'reservations' at a hospital in Oregon. Fiona did her best to stay out of the way. Having lost her baby at the end of her pregnancy caused a great deal of anxiety to watch her sister in law go through some of the same problems. She found it easiest to be the mediator between Logan and Zack when the inevitable fights arose almost every hour. 

Dr. Spencer worked round the clock on the gene sequencing trying to unravel what Manticore and God had created in this child. She found too many chromosomes along with shark, feline, and wolf DNA in the sequence. Before long, fear over took the good doctor and she called Fiona to steady her. Fiona arrived to have a cup of tea with her dear friend. Her friend wanted answers…at least in part. 

"So what's up Jess? I know you too well to think this has nothing to do with my nephew," Fiona said with confidence.

"When you asked me to take this case, you said I would encounter genetic anomalies that I might be tempted to bring other doctors in on. You said that for the safety of your family that would be impossible and I would have to work on my own. Fiona, you did not tell me I would be faced with a genetically engineered individual… You didn't tell me that my client wasn't entirely human. That's different then a genetic anomaly," Jess said setting down her cup.

"What would have changed if I told you? We'd be in the same position. People would still want to get their hands on my sister and nephew. I need you Jess… They need you. My nephew needs you to help him be as healthy and normal as possible," Fiona begged.

"I don't know what to do… I'm not even sure how to help. I can't test anything because if I give it to Max it might injury the baby."

"I'm sure one of her siblings would be willing to help… Zack or Jondy. I think they said Tinga and Zane live near by too. What do you need to help?" Fiona asked. 

"I need to find one of them that has the same animal genes that your nephew does."

"Fine. Let's head to the hospital and talk it over with Max and Zack," Fi said abruptly. 

"What about Logan?" Jess asked.

"I don't want him interfering."

"But it's his son!"

"That won't be very healthy if we don't get some outside help!" Fiona insisted.

Jessica stared at her friend hard, "Logan will not be left out…or I'm out."

"Fine. Logan will be there."


	5. Krit

Title: Krit

**A/N: Revised rating. Nice sibling arguing.**

Title: Krit

Name: Joy

Email: SleepingBeauty2@ziplip.com

Rating: R

"So your baby has carried three other animal DNA sections into its genetic code. We need to try some gene therapy on one of your siblings that has the same three animal DNA sections," Dr. Spencer said to Max and Logan with Zack, Jondy, and Fiona in the room.

"Which three animals?" Zack asked.

"I'm sorry?" Jess asked.

"Which three… I know my siblings…information, you might say."

"Shark, cat, and wolf."

"Well, I'm out," Jondy said. "Shark, cat and bird. Isn't that weird? They made me with two natural enemies," she commented with a smirk.

"I'm out too. I don't have any shark… neither does Syl. Tinga has panther in hers somewhere. Zane…No… Wait, Krit… Krit has those three," Zack said in excitement. 

"Makes sense… Krit, Jondy and I never slept. Oh god… please let my baby sleep," Max said in dismay. Logan kissed her head in slight amusement. 

"I'll get Krit here and we'll go from there," Zack said kissing the top of Max's head. Logan only slightly flinched. Fiona was pinching his hand as to remind him to behave. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Zack and Jondy left the room to make the call while the Cales tried to relax. "Good job Logan. Your sister's fears were unfounded," Dr. Spencer said.

"What?" he asked.

"I didn't think you would be good at letting Zack be this hands on in helping. To be honest I didn't want you here," Fiona said from behind her brother.

Shock permeated Logan's being, "You got to be kidding… This is my son!"

"Yes and in the past you have been known to let feelings of inadequacy and jealousy prevent you from doing what was best for your family," she said calmly, almost angry. 

"What the hell are you talking about? I would never endanger my family!"

Max grabbed Logan's hand as he stood to face his sister, "Logan… You did that with Fi."

The level of stress in the room rose greatly as Zack and Jondy returned. "This isn't a good time," Jessica said quietly, trying to usher them out before Logan's rage exploded at them. 

"Why?" Zack asked.

That was all it took. "Why?! Because my sister thinks so much more highly of you then of me. She believes I would risk my wife and child over keeping YOU out. How did you manage this? How? I spend months working on my relationship with her and then you show back up. It takes less then a couple weeks for her to think the world of you. How did you do it?"

Zack stood stunned at Logan's tirade. "HE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!" erupted Fiona. "You are as moronic as I thought. It isn't Zack's fault that we don't have the relationship we used to. WE… you and I… don't trust each other the way we used to. We were getting better at it for a while there…but now too much is at stake… I will not let you make the same mistakes with Max that you made with me. You don't get the option!"

Fiona and Logan stood in the hospital room facing each other with great fury. "Jondy, go get Bling. Jessica thanks for your help. Zack, you don't need to be here for this," Max said calmly. The three at the door bowed out. Jondy pulled Zack out the door since he seemed to have no intension of leaving. 

The entrance of Bling ended a minute or two of silence. "So I hear my two favorite Irish wills are clashing again," he said glibly. Max frowned and shook her head. It was much more serious then that. "Are we back at the shooting? Or is this about the hospital?" he asked. Glares radiated from the two pairs of crystalline blue eyes. "Fine, I don't care what set it off but let's get it on the table or these last few months are going to be hell on everyone."

"Fine! Tell your husband how you didn't want me here because you thought I wouldn't let Zack help. Tell him how much you love the Wonder Boy and how much of a disappointment I am in comparison!" Logan shouted loud enough for Zack and Jondy to hear outside the room without enhanced hearing. 

"Give me a break… Zack isn't really the problem here, Logan. You aren't a disappointment because of Zack. You're a disappointment because of you. You are who you are… Self absorbed, arrogant, and oblivious to what is important around you," Fiona said with as much venom as she could muster. 

This was the fight Logan knew would come some day. It was four years since his sister and her family had been gunned down in the street, partially because of a mistake on his part. In one day she lost the baby she was carrying, her husband, both of their parents, and nearly her life. To add insult to injury, Logan hadn't been able to deal with his sister's fate so he ignored her…leaving her to be cared for by her in laws. Once the injuries healed, the rejection was so bad she had left the country. In the last year they had been working hard to repair the damage that occurred between them and for the most part it had been successful. Now with a high-risk pregnancy of Max that put Fiona on the defense and the threat of Zack being a better brother to Logan, both siblings were up in arms. The pain was still very real and alive just below the surface and now it was bubbling over into life.

"Enough!" Bling yelled. "Neither of you mean this stuff! Fiona I know how responsible you think Logan has become and how glad you are to be back. Truth is your arguments are rooted in fears that are long over." Bling walked over to Logan and put his hand on Logan's shoulder, "No one can take your place in Fi's heart. You'll always be her big brother. Yeah, you screwed up in the past so now you're all worried about the time she's spending with Zack. You're worried that he's a better brother… Truth is he's just more open then you are. Weird as it may sound, Fi's getting to be the big sister she always wanted to be. But see you're screwing up again by letting this insecurity get in the way of you two. You block up your heart, she'll do the same on instinct."

Bling crossed over to his wife, "You, my dear, are out of control. I know you're scared for Max and the baby, but you got to cut Logan some slack. You're right he gets jealous and acts nuts, but it's not your call whether he is involved with decisions or not… it's Max's. If you had tried to keep him out, I'm sure Max would have fought you on it." 

Max nodded in confirmation. "Besides, I can manage my husband pretty well… frustrations and all." 

"So each of you is going to come back to the present time and remember the progress you've made… or Max and I will kick you Asses," Bling said with a laugh hugging his wife while Max caressed Logan's hand with a smile. 

"You may actually need to have Jondy fill in for me due to my present state," Max wisecracked.

"Nah… then we'd both be toast," Fiona said with a slight smile trying to meet her brother's eyes. "Logan," she began. "I'm... I'm so sorry… I had no right to… I shouldn't have…"

"It's OK… I forget sometimes that you're allowed to have hang ups too. It never even occurred to me this would be hard for you… I guess that's one reason you and Zack are bonding so well…it's hard for both of you," Logan said as he reached for his sister. "I'm always going to be scared of losing you again or failing you that much… I have to say hearing you say you feared that I was going to fail Max cut deep," he stated clutching Fiona for dear life.

"I don't think you're going to fail her, Loggie… I'm just scared you might…there's a big difference. I'm just setting up roadblocks so you can't… I forget how ashamed you are of what happened back then and would do anything to not repeat the same mistakes," Fiona cried on her brother's shoulder. 

"Why does this have to hurt so much?" he mumbled.

"Because we're family. Only family can love you and hurt you like this."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In a few days, Max was released from the hospital to the overly protective family that surrounded her. Jondy and Zack stayed with Original Cindy as they all made back and forth visits to the Cale residence. Zack had made contact with Krit who was carefully explained the situation and what it would mean for him to come. Zack didn't want Krit to come only not to be able to handle the tests and the research. It would be too hard on everyone, but especially Max. 

The three-day journey to Seattle was a drop in the bucket to what Krit was willing to go through for family. For his part, getting to see two of his sisters was prize enough for the blood and tests he would endure for his new nephew. 

His arrival brought Logan face to face with a male version of Max. Krit had the same eyes and eye color, hair color, skin color, and even her cute nose. Logan was sure if Krit let his hair grow it would be curly as well. Jondy and Zack looked just alike so he didn't understand why he was surprised at the resemblance.

"Well damn! A male version of my boo… I'd never thought I'd see the day," said Original Cindy, as the Seattle fam gathered around the dining room table in Logan's penthouse for lunch. "We gotta take him down to Jam Pony to scare the crap out of Normal, Sketchy, and Herbal. I can't wait to see their faces!"

"Boo?" Krit asked Max.

"Nickname… Don't worry about it. Hey… Thanks for coming," Max said with a hug and a kiss. 

"No problem… I get to see my sisters, meet my brother in law, and help my future nephew. Life is good," he responded. "Ya hear that Little One? I'm your uncle Krit and I'm here to make sure ya don't get the shakes or a barcode or junk like that. In other words I'm going through this junk for you so when ya get here I better be your favorite uncle!" Max laughed heartily at her brother's attention to her belly. Arguing with her unborn child about getting favorite uncle status brought it all home to her that this was her family. They would still live and die for her. 

"Can he hear us?" Jondy asked

"His ears are developing as we speak plus since he's Max's I'd say he must have excellent hearing," Logan said as he bit into his sandwich. "I talk to him all the time."

"Yeah, especially while I'm sleeping so he gets one on one time with Little One," Max said rolling her eyes. "You have no idea how many times I've rolled onto Logan at my stomach."

"I'd think that might me fun," Jondy raised her eyebrows a few times for emphasis.

"Yeah, but that's why I'm like this to begin with," Max responded leaving Logan to nearly choke on his sandwich. 

"Ya ok Loggie? Hate for you to swallow your tongue… Yet another way to have aided in lack of pregnancy…" Fiona commented hitting Logan on the back. He left the room completely red and thoroughly embarrassed. All the women laughed heartily at Logan's current state. "Just tell me you aren't going into heat immediately after you give birth?"

Logan reentered the room with a large glass of water. "I don't know. I guess we'll find out. Maybe this go round you'll need to keep Logan and I locked up in respective closets or something," Max commented biting into her sandwich. 

Logan coughed. "Yeah well… It can't be worse then watching my brother reduced to the state of a horny dog like last time," Fiona said calmly. Logan coughed a little more. "I mean the idea he could smell you from several floors below. Didn't think a blood transfusion could have that much effect…then again he's got more of your blood then his own at this point."

"You can smell when Max is in heat? Wow… You are closer to one of us," Krit commented and ate quickly. "It's amazing isn't? Even with women that aren't Manticore, I probably know their cycle better then they do. And when their fertile, man, is it hard not just to ravage them," Krit said with a sound that was more wolf then man. 

"That's it! I'm sorry. I can't take this. I can't handle my sex life or drive being discussed over the dinner table," Logan stated firmly as the table stopped eating and stared at him. 

Fiona started laughing hysterically. She turned to Max and said, "This from the man who lost his virginity to two girl at once in the backseat of his car while a third drove."

"Wow… That's impressive," Jondy commented. "Nice car I hope."

"Fiona!!!" Logan yelled.

She smiled sweetly, "Relax… We'll stop. I've tortured you enough for one meal."

Krit nodded at Logan, "If you want to discuss it in private that would be fine… I'm curious cause I don't know another male with wolf DNA. We could compare notes…" He smiled wickedly.

"This is just wrong!" Logan muttered.

"Please… Logan, I can only get pregnant while I'm in heat. You got to know it would bring about interesting conversations. Think of this as another thing to prepare to tell Little One about. Krit, you will need to tell Logan about what it was like to go through puberty…I don't want to know," Max said shaking her head.

"Or you could just send the munchkin to me for puberty," he said with the same wicked grin.

"I think not!" Logan stated firmly.

"Fine… Fine…" Krit said. "Puberty was like death…"

Max cut him off, "I said I didn't want to know. Tell my husband so he can prepare our son but other wise… I don't want to hear about your sexual history while I'm eating."

"Oh but it was fine to have mine brought up?" Logan asked.

"It was ours… And he's my brother…it's just wrong to know about your brother's mating cycles."

"Yeah… I had to walk in on my brother's mating cycles," Fiona huffed.

"Fiona!" both Logan and Max yelled. Everyone laughed heartily while the couple recovered from their embarrassment. 

"So when do I meet the Doctor?" Krit asked.

"Tomorrow," Max said calmly. "We start tomorrow."


	6. Testing

Title: Testing

Title: Testing

Name: Joy

Email: SleepingBeauty2@ziplip.com

Rating: PG-13

"Four Chimeras in the same location. A Conspiracy Theorist's dream," the mechanical voice of Sebastian said as the Max, Zack, Jondy, and Krit entered his laborites followed by Logan. It was the perfect place for Dr. Jessica Spencer to conduct her tests and experiments because all of Sebastian's employees were under a vow of silence about the activities conducted in the labs plus she didn't have to worry about nosy hospital personal. "I'm glad to see you walking again," the mechanized voice said to Max.

"So am I. Zack, Jondy, Krit, this is Sebastian. He has helped me on a few occasions already. Smart kids with money are fun to have around," she joked.

"Sexy girls with amazing agility and intelligence are fun to have around too," Sebastian teased back. 

"What have I told you about flirting with my wife?" Logan said sternly to Sebastian. 

"Who says I wasn't flirting with your sister in law?" Sebastian shot back with his eye on Jondy. A small blush crept across her face. 

"Play nice…We're here with a purpose. Where's Jess?" Max asked.

"She's setting up the Lab. I'll show you the way… After you, my lady," Sebastian directed Jondy. The pink in her cheeks grew a deeper red as she walked beside the wheelchair bound man. 

"I've not seen him be this forward since… well, ever," Logan whispered to Max. 

"Forward seems to be what we normally get… 'Singularly most beautiful face' ring any bells," she whispered in response. 

"It took a while once I was in the chair to come around and admit I had feelings for you…" he commented. 

"Gazing into each other's eyes and kissing helped pin those feelings down real quick."

"Kissing you would drown any man with love."

"How poetic…" Max said sweetly and he kissed her hand. "You of course realize Jondy has heard this entire conversation with her acute hearing and that is why she is still blushing." The coloring of Jondy's fair face became pinker. The couple just smiled at her embarrassment over the situation. 

"Hello all… I'm guessing the male that looks very similar to Max would be brother Krit. Nice to meet you," Jessica said shaking hands with the young man. "You and I will be spending a great deal of time together. Let me know what I can do to make this place look less…"

"Freaky…" Krit responded looking around at the sterile environment. The memories of Manticore flooded back. He saw himself pinned to a table while his skin was pulled back to test the regenerative power of his tendons and skin. Krit clutched his left arm on instinct to protect it from the far off visions.

"Freaky is good. Max hasn't filled me in on how or why things are the way they are with you… I can only imagine by the level of hospital phobias that have been displayed by all of you that it wasn't pleasant…I'd like to not add to your phobia," Jessica said meekly.

"Well doesn't that beat all! A doc that is concerned about the feelings of her mice… wish Manny had a few of you laying around," Krit joked very amused leaving Jessica confused. The hatred grew under his skin for this woman he just met. He hated doctors, all doctors. After what happened to his siblings and himself, doctors ranked up there with the devil on people he would rather not spend any time with. 

"Please forgive him… Doctors haven't been trust worthy in our lives," Max covered quickly. She walked to him and stroked the clutched arm with concern. Krit set his jaw for a second then relaxed under the touch of his sister. 

"It's fine. Abuse of any power is awful… I'm hoping that if the we can devise gene therapy to correct the baby's serotonin levels and potential sleep deprivation, we can expand that to you as well," Dr. Spencer spoke calmly. "I hope you will come to trust me at least in part the way Max has," she said to Krit who was still on edge. 

Jessica walked to the microscopes and light board on the wall. "I knew you would prefer to be part of the research team rather then waiting on the side lines. So let's review what we know from the amniocentesis … These chromosomes," she said pointing to a few lines of purple on the light board, "are unique to Max's child in terms of the fact other humans don't have them. I recognize some of the pattern in this chromosome to be shark and this to be cat. This pattern gave me the most trouble because it was a rare wolf that was used for this chromosome. Heightened intelligence and strength come in here and here." She continued to point to the purple markers to the fascinated eyes of the Manticore kids. 

"I believe in these few markers are where the serotonin level issue comes in. This is the area we find the serotonin reuptake inhibitor problems in depressed patients and seizure patients. Our first priority is to locate that sequence… The sleep deprivation and wolf mating cycles, that you indicated were worrisome to you, we can look at specifically in the animal DNA as we go. Truth is if we could get you guys to sleep more, the tryptophan wouldn't be as necessary because your body would be making more serotonin on its own during your sleep cycles."

"I mainly wanted you all here so there would be no confusion as to what I am doing. You are welcome to see all of my notes and research as we go. I hope you'll understand I mean you no harm. All of you should have small amounts of blood taken to do gene profiling to aid in our progress. You are welcome to keep your own vile or work on your own sequence if you're concerned about the staff. Max, I would recommend you not doing research since it requires long hours of microscope work. The sooner we can compare each of your DNA to one another the sooner we'll be able to discern which faulty chromosome the seizures lie in. Once we know that we can get a handle on performing gene therapy to correct it… Are we clear?"

"So actually, you're experimenting on all of us?" Krit asked.

"No, just you… I'll take blood from all of you for screening, but you're the one that the experimental gene therapy will be done on."

"Forgive me if this turns my stomach," he said with a slight snarl. "The word 'experiment' isn't one of my favorites especially in conjunction with myself. I never wanted to be experimented on again in my lifetime. This, however, is for my sister and nephew so I will make an exception. Please forgive me though if I look like I'm reliving a war…its exactly what I'm doing."

"No problem. You and I can discuss ways to make this easier for you to handle when the time approaches… I get the distinct impression you're what I feared the USA was hiding all these years…You're the reason why I'm in this business, to prevent corruption. I failed before I'd even begun… Here you are free to go or come as you please and to research on your own. I won't be surprised if one of you finds the cure for cancer amid your genes… Now, whose microscope bound?" Jessica asked.

"I got nothing better to do," Krit said slowly.

"I love science… Researching my own blood is kind of cool," Jondy spoke. 

"I'll go back and forth… For now I'm here," Zack said gruffly, feeling the need to establish himself as the badest ass again since Krit's arrival. 

"I'm going to agree with Jess and offer my blood then take my leave. My body is using most of my energy to create a human being so I'm kind of tired," Max said glibly leaning back against Logan's chest. 

"That's fine… All right Max gets stuck first and then the rest of you. Hopefully this will be a fruitful process that will be short for everyone's sake," Jess quipped. 

"Not for my purpose…" the mechanical voice of Sebastian came from the door. Jondy smiled at the over zealous man who had immediately taken a fancy to her. 

"I think Sebastian will be hard pressed to woo Jondy," Max whispered to Logan.

"I disagree… He will woo and she will fall. You Manticore girls are so easy," he whispered back. Max slapped Logan's chest and Jondy turned around and punched his shoulder. "Man, that enhanced hearing is going to get me killed," he said as the guys laughed at his dilemma. 


	7. Bath Time

Bath time

Title: Bath time

Name: Joy

Email: SleepingBeauty2@ziplip.com

Rating: PG-13

With the research underway and family occupied Mr. & Mrs. Cale tried to settle back into life. Their family recognized that they weren't getting a lot of time alone so fewer trips to the penthouse were made in the last few weeks. Max's growing insecurity about her attractiveness and sincerity of Logan's love began to creep into their much-needed one on one time. 

"Was I too easily won?" Max asked Logan when they got home from Sebastian's lab one day. 

"Are you kidding? Two steps forward…One step backward all the time. Honestly if you asked me a year and a half ago where you and I would be now…I would have said same as we were then: I scratch your back, you scratch mine. I didn't ever fathom you letting me into your heart," he responded kissing her head, "let alone this amazing body." He nuzzled her ear in a way that always got her motor revving. 

"I don't have an amazing body now…in a few months," Max said cradling her stomach. She tried to see her toes. She seemed very disgusted with her condition. "No wonder we haven't made love in days," she said with a huff. Sudden flash of anger raced through Max's system, "The only reason you're even interested in sleeping with me at all is you're horny… I'm sure you would much prefer someone younger and prettier that's not pregnant." Logan's face began to contort in confusion over his wife's tirade. "Why don't you try for Jondy? As you said Manticore girls are easy." If it were possible for Max to have killed Logan with her glare she would have.

"Max…" Logan muttered with tears in his eyes. "You can't possibly believe that. You can't think so little of me that you think I would be interested in your sister, let alone want to cheat on you because you're pregnant."

"Why not you're male?" she spit back at him.

"Yeah… Your husband. You remember? The guy that vowed for better for worse."

"You've vowed it before," she shot back.

Logan was crushed. The tears descend his cheeks easily now. "I can't believe you said that. I love you… You're my wife. You're carrying my child. Before I met you I didn't sleep around. After I met you, there has been no one but you… I guess it hurts to know I've told you this before and you don't believe me. You don't believe I only want you and haven't been attracted to anyone else since I met you."

Max temper softened as she watched Logan suffer. She had caused his pain. "If that's true then why haven't we made love? When I was first pregnant you couldn't keep your hands off me," she said dejectedly.

"At first I couldn't keep my hands off you, because the thought we had created a life overwhelmed me. Making love to you was the best way I knew to express the intensity of what I felt. I'll admit once you started to show I got a little worried… Fiona informed me I was being very male by being concerned that I could hurt the baby while having sex."Logan came up behind her and lightly caressed her sides to her stomach. In the softest whisper he said, "Your body is amazing…pregnant or not. And we haven't recently because you were slightly fragile. There was a trip to the hospital and all? I was afraid I'd lost you both. I've been so worried about any sort of motion dislodging the little fella I called Jess to find out if it was OK to make love."

"You can't be serious."

"Do you have any idea how hard it has been for me to keep my hands off of you with everyone here?" He turned her around so she could see the desire in his eyes. "I have been wanting to touch you," he began as he kissed her neck, "kiss you, and lick you all over. I love you and not touching you has been killing me. I want you so bad I'm going to explode. This is the first time in forever we've been alone."

Max threw her arms around his neck, "Very true." Her anger had subsided and she began to acknowledge life had been a little chaotic lately. Even if she hadn't been pregnant that much family in town would have caused for normal activities to be interrupted. 

"Your siblings won't be back for a long while," he said with one raised eyebrow. Logan caressed her face gently. "You want to?" he nodded to the bedroom. This was the first time in their married life… hell the entire time they had been together, Logan had ever had to ask. 

"Doesn't it weird you out at all that the baby can hear us?" Max said squeamishly.

"Sometime in our child's life he is going to hear us make love… This is a time I'm not worried about. Besides I know that Jessica said it was good for us to still sleep together because it will relax you… I know it will relax me," Logan said with great intensity.

"I know this is going to sound weird since I just chewed you out for us not having sex but truth is I'm scared of big movements causing a miscarriage," Max pouted. "You are still yummy as ever sweetheart…don't get me wrong. We may need to go slow."

"I figured you would say that so I got us this… tada…" Logan handed Max a small book.

"Erotic baths… You're nuts!" she said with a chuckle.

"See this way we can stay buoyant… you can be on top… and you get romance," he said with a nod very proud of his ingenuity.

"Alright Mr. Cale. You're on!" Max said racing to the bathroom. Logan sped after her to the stash of bubble bath and bath oils he had hidden under the bed. The idea of getting to rub his wife's body with massage oil turn Logan into one giant hormone before he even reached the bathroom. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The delicious feeling of satisfaction overcame the couple as their sweat & oil soaked bodies settled into the warm water comfortably. Their frolic had moved a fair amount of water outside the tub, which only added to their amusement. Logan and Max enjoyed washing each other from head to toe before exiting the bathtub. 

"I have a surprise for you so stay here and soak to your heart's content. I'll set up the bedroom and then come to get you when I'm ready," Logan said kissing his wife's forehead. Max watched her husband exit the tub, gazing at him shamelessly. With a towel around his waist he looked back at her, "Glad to know you still find me attractive too. I am the old man after all." Max chuckled and shut her eyes getting comfortable in the immense tub.

Logan appeared in a terrycloth robe and handed one to Max. Once Logan had sufficiently dried Max off, cuddling her in the process, they headed to the bedroom. "No peeking!" Logan said leading his wife by the hand. 

"Fine, Fine!" she responded.

"Open up," he said with great joy. Logan had covered the bed with baby toys, blankets, and books. "I know we've been worried about getting anything… in case… I don't want to live in fear anymore, so here." He handed Max a book of baby names that looked more like an encyclopedia then anything else. "I figure this way we can start arguing now about his name so that by the time he arrives we'll have decided."

Max began to cry, "This is so sweet… The teddy bear even has a rattle in it." Max cried all the louder as she looked at the bed. 

"Max… Honey, its ok," Logan said holding her to himself. 

"It's just I was so mean to you earlier… I hate this emotional roller-coaster I'm on."  
"It's to be expected," he said settling them on the bed. "Let's look at boy names."

"Sounds good," Max said as she opened the book. They flipped through pages looking over the lists of names and their meanings.

"So we both agree that part of his name should be Krit because of all that he has done for Little One. I like Riley, Caleb, Dillon, and Sean… You like Shay, Greer, Lel, and Dakota… I'm seeing a theme: different short names for you and characteristic Irish names for me," Logan said as he looked over what they each had jotted down.

"I like some of your names… Do you like any of mine?" Max asked.

"Yeah… sort of… I'd like to know what some of them mean."

"We don't have to do this right now," she said kissing her husband's cheek. "Thank you so much for this. It feels more real… We're going to have a baby boy." A huge smile spread across her face.

"Hey the presents aren't just for the baby. I've ordered a Lazy Boy chair recliner for you, and a rocking chair…and oh…" He brought her the longest pillow she had ever seen. 

"Logan…It's taller then I am?" she questioned.

"It's called a pregnancy pillow. You lay down and I'll wrap it around you." Max laid down as Logan wound the pillow along one side of her body, behind her head and down the other side. "This way no matter how you turn there is always a pillow to support the baby."

"You're the best sweetheart," Max said snuggling into the pillow looking very sleepy. "Mind if I catch a few z's. It's been a full day."

"Sleep well," he said kissing Max's head. "Don't move around to much," he patted her belly, "Mama needs some sleep." Little One promptly kicked Logan's hand as if to show his disapproval of naptime. "Oh my… Was that what I think it was?"

"Yes dear…" Max nodded as she fell asleep. Logan continued to rub Max's stomach to keep his son company. 

Once Max was fully asleep Logan positioned himself next to her belly so he imagined he was face to face with the baby. "Hey there," he whispered. "We're trying to find you a name. How 'bout I read you the lists and you kick if you like it?" 

Logan read through the rough lists they had compiled during the hour they had looked at the baby name book. Little One seemed to favor the sound of Galen, Shay, & Seth from Max's list and Riley, Caleb, and Sean from Logan's List. "What about Liam? That was my uncle's name." Little One kicked so hard that it woke Max up.

"What the hell was that?" she asked in a startled voice.

"Uh… Little One and I were going through the lists of names. He seems to like Liam… It was my mother's brother's name."

"What other names did he like?" Max asked suspiciously.

Logan looked over the list and read off the ones Little One had been fluttering about on. "Liam, he just kicked sharply."

"You're not kidding. What's it mean anyway?" Max said rubbing her belly.

"Determined Guardian."

"I like that… I like that a lot. Nice strong name, short too. It will fit in well along the likes of Zane, Zack, Krit, and Jove," Max said as her eyes began to shut again.

"Did we just pick the name of our baby?" Logan asked dumfounded.

"I think so…" Max said with a yawn. "Now Liam Galen Krit Cale you calm down and let me sleep," she commanded the infant inside her.

"Galen?" 

"I really like that name… I think it all sounds good together," Max said as she snuggled into the pregnancy pillow again. 

"It does indeed. I like the name Galen too. I love you Max."

"Back at ya…" she whispered before softly snoring.

"Well Liam that was surprisingly easy… Don't expect that to happen too often. You'll find you come from stubborn stock," Logan said to his son.

"I heard that!" Max sleepily snapped. Logan merely moved beside her and kissed her forehead. 


	8. The Sibs

Title: The sibs

Title: The sibs

Name: Joy

Email: SleepingBeauty2@ziplip.com

Rating: PG-13

Max was now well into her sixth month of pregnancy and looked it. Logan was the ever present papa buzzing around as if Max was in need twenty-four seven. Bling & Cindy were keeping Max sane by helping her with exercise and escaping from Logan when the need arose. Fiona was trying to balance her brother's insanity over his impending child and Max's sibs, who were always working on the gene therapy with Jessica. At one point she went so far she lied to them saying they were headed to another research facility when actually she took them to Crash to relax. At least twice a week the whole family gathered together at the parents-to-be's penthouse for dinner. So far things were running pretty smoothly.

"Hello, my favorite wheelchair bound friend!" Fiona greeted Sebastian in the early evening a month into the genetic sequencing processing.

"Well hello my favorite widow friend!" Sebastian shot back. 

Fiona laughed. "How they doing?" she said pointing through the glass at Krit, Zack and Jondy. 

"They're working quickly. They have isolated the Manticore genes in each of their own sequences along with Max's. Jondy says she now understands herself so much better."  
"Jondy says, huh? Getting to spend much time with the blonde beauty?" Fiona pried. 

"Some conversations and some innocent flirting. I think I'm getting to her at least a little," Sebastian's mechanized voice said. 

"You like her a lot don't you?"

"I finally found someone who is a match for my intellect and can understand what it's like to be me… You may love me, but you never would have considered me because of this chair…not that I blame you. You were only a teenager when I had a crush on you," he confessed.

"I never would have guessed," Fiona said touching Sebastian's hand. 

"You had fallen hard and fast for Ryan by the time I felt like you were even old enough for me to consider you…You just never treated me differently… Jondy's like that. She will best me at every turn."

"Have you even gotten to have much time alone with her?" Fiona asked.

"Not really."

"I'll take care of that."

"Why?" 

"Because I've never seen you this forward with anyone… Ya worried about getting involved?" she asked.

"With a Chimera?" he asked not understanding the question.

"No… Just a woman. INVOLVED generally implies a certain level of physical contact," Fiona said with turned out a hip that she had picked up from her time with Max.

"I have access to things to help with that… I just never had any inducements to use them before."

"You are a strange man Sebastian…" Fiona said contemplating the situation.

"And you love me."

"Yes, I do."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"How's it going all?" Fiona asked sauntering into the lab.

"Frustration abounds!" Krit said from behind his microscope. 

"Well, I come bearing music."

"What?" Zack asked.

"There's a song I've been meaning to play for you but I think you'll all enjoy it. I think it should become the X-5 anthem. I have fantasies about pumping it into Manticore and seeing what happens," Fiona said with an evil grin leaning up against Zack.

"Fantasies huh?" he looked up at his pseudo big sister. She winked at him.

"What song is it?" Krit asked as both he and Jondy emerged from behind their microscopes watching Fiona hook up a CD player. 

"Pre-Pulse… Pre-my parents. It's Pink Floyd's _Another Brick in the Wall_." She pressed play causing the music to fill the room. The low base began its haunting melody as the voice of Roger Waters began to sing.

_"We don't need no education_

_We don't need no thought control_

_No dark sarcasm in the classroom_

_Teachers leave them kids alone_

_Hey! Teachers! Leave them kids alone_

_All and all you're just _

_Another brick in the Wall_

_All and all you're just _

_Another brick in the Wall"_

_ _

The siblings were gripped as the children's voices took over singing the lyrics. The idea seemed to wash over them. What would have happened if this song had been played at Manticore? Would others have escaped? Would there have been a revolt? The ideas danced in their heads.

"What do ya think?" Fiona asked.

"It's amazing!" Jondy said with a far off look.

"Who wrote that?" asked Krit.

"A guy named Roger Water's in the nineteen seventy's. That song was banned in a bunch of communist countries out of fear the youth would rise up against the authorities. Can you imagine? Countries being afraid of a song…of losing control," Fiona stated.

"I liked it…" Zack said in a small way seeking approval. 

"You guys need a break. You've been cooped up in here to long. Zack, go call Rachel," she said playing with Zack's blonde hair a bit.

"Who's Rachel?" Krit asked.

Zack didn't respond. "My roommate," Jondy finally said.

"Why would he call and not you?" he asked.

Both women smiled at Zack. Fiona nudged him, "Go on. Tell him."

Zack sat with his hands in his lap. He stared at them for a minute playing with his fingers. He had been trying so hard to remain the toughest X-5 in front of Krit. Now he would admit his weakness. "'Cause we're dating… I guess," he said swallowing hard not looking up.

"Dating… Mr. 'phony sentimentality' is dating…a girl…a normal girl. Hell is freezing as we speak," was Krit's shocked reaction.

"Enough! Thanks Fi!" Zack said angrily crossing his arms.

"Hey… I meant it. Go call her. I'm sure she misses your voice," Fiona said soothing his hurt ego. 

"Alright," he said slightly dejected.

"I'll take Krit for a drive," Fiona said.

"What'll I do?" Jondy asked.

"I'm sure our host will come up with something."

"Fiona, I'll stay here with Jondy," Krit said suddenly.

"Nah…come on," Fiona insisted.

Jondy and Krit searched each other's eyes for a moment before coming to some internal agreement. No one else noticed it…but it was still there. Something was there.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Nice bike," Krit observed. "Where we going?"

"I don't know… Just give Sebastian some time alone with Jondy," Fiona said with a smile.

Krit looked at her suspiciously, "Why would you do that?"

"Sebastian is a wonderful man that has taken an interest in your sister. Why shouldn't I encourage him?"

"I don't know… You think Jondy returns his feelings?" Krit asked cautiously.

"I'm not sure. Sebastian hopes so." 

Krit looked a little forlorn as he and Fiona drove off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Zack picked up one of Sebastian's phones in a private room. The phone rang twice before the sweet sound of the female voice came on the line. "Hello."

"Hi Rachel," Zack said with a smile. 

"Hey there… What a nice surprise. How's it going?"

"Good… Just wanted to hear your voice," he said quietly closing his eyes picturing her standing in the kitchen of her apartment. She was wear shorts and a tank top that showed off the ivory shoulders that he loved. He pictured her golden hair in a ponytail. He hoped she could feel him smile over the phone.

"Yeah…but I bet Jondy, Max, or Fiona had to prompt you to call," she said into the receiver with a smirk.

"Hey… I'm still learning how to do this. We didn't get classes in relationships at Manticore, let alone have people to model after. Forgive me that its not first nature?" he said sweetly.

"You know me…Military brat myself. I understand to some degree. Thanks for calling. How's the research going?" Rachel asked.

"Very good. We're almost through with the compound that Krit will be injected with. We already know it will either work or cause the complete opposite reaction than we want. Got to hope we're right about the serotonin level or Krit could be in real danger," Zack said mournfully. "I'd do it myself if I could."

"Now I wouldn't like that. I'm not there to hold your hand or anything," she said softly. "Besides you take on the weight of the world enough already."

"If I were going through this, you'd want to be here? Holding my hand?" Zack said with playfulness to his voice. 

"Yes, I would."

"Another reason for me to be going through this and not Krit. I'd get to hold my gir… ah… friend's hand," Zack fumbled as he cursed himself for his stupidity.

"Your gir or friend? Which is it?" Rachel said from the other end of the phone.

Zack wished Fiona was there to help him through this one. "We just hadn't talked about it or said it out loud so I wasn't sure if I was being…" Zack babbled.

"I'll make it simpler… do you want me as your girlfriend or not?"

"That's not simpler Rachel…years of training up against desire. It all boils down to a few words that although they seem insignificant are very important and at the same time scary," Zack said with anxiety.

"Zack, I want to be with you… do you want to be with me? Don't think about the words…think about the feelings," Rachel insisted.

"I want to be with you."

"That's all I need… I'll take you anyway I can get you."

"Really?" Zack said slightly insecure.

"Yeah… I hate having these conversations over the phone. I'd really like you here for me to hold and to know this is real. I couldn't stand it if…"  
"If what?"

"Just stupid insecurity. I trust you…and Jondy. She wouldn't let you hurt me," Rachel whispered.

"What are you afraid of Rachel?" Zack asked a little concerned.

A soft whimper came through the phone. "You travel all over the place to check on your siblings… Maybe…Maybe there's another roommate you look at the way you look at me." There it was- the fear.

"Rachel… I guess… I guess it's time to confess… There is only one other person I've ever even remotely felt for and … that… that was Max," Zack clenched his teeth waiting for her to recoil at the concept.

"Only Max?" 

"Yeah."

"That must be awful for you… to be there and watch her be married and happy," Rachel said sympathetically. 

"It was…until I met you. You didn't look at me the way other people did. You saw passed the wall around me," Zack said quietly.

"Benefit of being a Military Kid, you learn to look people in the eye and see their soul rather then their façade."

"I miss you… I miss you a lot. I want you to look into my eyes and see me," Zack said closing his eyes again hoping she would believe the intensity in his voice. 

"I want to see you too."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So Krit, is my bike a good ride after all?" Fiona asked as they pulled up in front of Sebastian's.

"Very nice… Handles corners like a dream."

"Hey Zack!" Fi said as Zack blazed passed her. "Where's the fire?"

"Colorado!" He answered and took off on his bike. "Be back in a few days."

"That was interesting," Krit responded.

"Amazing what you'll do for love."

"How do you classify love?"

"I don't think you do. You're either in love or you aren't," Fiona responded.

"But how do you know?" Krit asked.

"It will hit you over the head one day and you'll look back and wonder why you didn't notice before."

"I see…" Krit said thoughtfully.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Jondy? What's wrong?" Sebastian's mechanized voice asked.

She sat at the dinner table hardly having eaten anything. She had pushed the food around and was not up for conversation. "Just tired I guess. I think I should head home."

Krit and Fiona walked into Jondy as she was leaving. "Jondy? You ok?" Krit said with concern holding her arms lightly as Fiona continued inside. Something told her things didn't go according to plan for Sebastian. 

"Fine… I… I think I need to go home. Has Zack already headed out?" she asked.

"Actually he seems to have gone to Colorado…" Krit explained. Jondy's eyes searched for something in Krit's for a moment. 

"It's been a long day… I'll go see Max."

"Make sure little Liam isn't giving her fits," he joked.

She half-heartedly smiled. She crossed in front of him to her bike. Krit stood watching Jondy ride off with a pain he couldn't identify.__


	9. Heartbeat

Title: Heartbeat

Title: Heartbeat

Name: Joy

Email: SleepingBeauty2@ziplip.com

Rating: PG-13

Jondy arrived at the Cale penthouse frustrated and unnerved. 'What am I thinking? I don't know what I want,' she thought as she headed up the stairs. She entered the apartment to find it very silent.

"Hey girl," Original Cindy said from the kitchen. They had long since made peace with each other and adapted to sharing Max's time. They even found they made a pretty good team. 

"Hey. Is Max around?"

"She's taking a nap… Whaz up? Ya look like somethin' is on that pretty little mind of yours," Cindy said patting the counter next to her. 

"My brain is scrambled and my heart seems to have followed suit. I figured Max could lend me a little insight."

"Sug'r may have the man of her dreams, but she don't know nothin bout relationships… I talked her through many a Logan fest…I'll do the same for you."

Jondy considered it a moment, "Maybe an outside opinion would be good."

"Damn straight!"

"Alright… Well, everybody seems happy to set me up with Sebastian. Fiona successfully cleared the room tonight, so I would be alone with him. Up till now having him flirt and talk to me was fine but now…"

Cindy got a funny look on her face, "What's now?"

"Huh?"

"What changed?" Original Cindy asked.

Jondy's face became flushed with color, and she couldn't speak. "That good huh?" Cindy commented. The pink in Jondy's cheeks deepened. "Another guy… Another girl."

Jondy made a face, "Sorry Cindy… Don't swing your way."

"And it is such a shame… So a guy. They're in limited supply where you been hanging. Could this be a tall, dark guy that looks like my boo?" Cindy said watching for the color to change in the blonde's face. Jondy didn't respond in any way at all. "Then I'm confused?"

"You suggested my brother… Shouldn't you be weirded out by that?" Jondy asked.

"Nah…He's your brother only sort of. More like he's family, but family can mean a couple too. It was weird with Max and Zack because he was so insistent on calling her baby sister and yet he was all about her. She couldn't see him as anything but a brother… that doesn't mean you can't see Krit as more than a brother," Cindy encouraged.

Max walked into the kitchen for a nightly snack. "Liam," she said looking at the top of her stomach, "Mama was sleeping. If you want food you need to let me know before I go to sleep. We will have to work on this when you arrive." She bit into a ham sandwich that Logan had left for her before he and Bling had a guys' night out. "Hey Jondy. When did you get here?"

Max munched away at the sandwich as Jondy answered, "Ten minutes ago or so. You get a good nap."

"Yes and No. I love my pregnancy pillow but Logan's getting jealous of the cuddles it gets and not him. We were arguing about my 'addiction' to the pillow before my nap. Bling was instructed to remove my husband before I hit him with the big pillow… To which he yelled back 'cuddle grabber'. Man, Little One we're going to be a laugh a minute," Max said patting her belly.

"Hey guess what?"

"What?"

Jondy smiled big, "Big brother's headed to Colorado to see Rachel."

"No way!"

"Oh yeah!"

"Damn… You Chimera's will do a lot for love once you realize what it is. Now you remember that," Cindy said shaking her finger at Jondy.

"Why do I feel left out?" Max asked.

"Go on… Confession is good for the soul sug'r."

"I'm not interested in Sebastian, Max." Max looked shocked. "But I am… maybe… I don't know," Jondy muttered throwing her hands on her head.

"What?"

"There's the possibility that sug'r here has a thing for Krit," Cindy said putting her arm around Jondy.

"No way!" Max said again.

"This is a mess… A month of working with him and … agh…." Jondy groaned.

"How does Krit feel?" Max asked the obvious question.

"How should I know? He's one of us…His poker face is a killer. Sometimes I think… but then… I just don't know."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Krit looked at the ceiling of the guest bedroom he and Jondy were staying in. Every other night he loved staying in this room with her. They would lie awake talking for hours about the years that had past since the escape. She felt so close to him, like they'd never been separated. He thought about what Fiona had said to him about love earlier that evening, about how one day you realize it and then you look back and don't know why you hadn't noticed before. He was too scared to admit that was what he was feeling. Jondy was his sister. This would be a repeat of Max and Zack. Jondy would end up with the guy in the chair. His heart hurt.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Colorado morning was brisk when Rachel was awakened at five a.m. to her doorbell ringing frantically. She put on her robe and tied it tight. She didn't even look out the peephole before opening the door. Whoever was out there was going to get an earful for waking her at this ungodly hour. 

The door stood open to reveal Zack standing in front of her "You really should always check who it is before answering," he admonished.

"Well… Whoever was out here was going to suffer the wrath of Rachel for waking me."

Zack pouted, "Are you mad still? I drove to the airport after we got off the phone and hopped a plane to be here this morning so you wouldn't have to wait long to see me."

"You're forgiven," she said sweetly taking him by the hand leading him into the apartment.

They stood very close together as Zack looked down at the blue-eyed girl he'd been dreaming of the whole flight up. He stroked her face and hair as he stared at her lips briefly. "I… I've never… felt this way before." He kept touching her face with the lightest possible caress. "This is real," he whispered before kissing Rachel for the first time. 

Tears descended her face from the intensity of the moment. It was all she could have wished for. "What'd I do wrong?" Zack said pulling away suddenly when he felt her tears.

She grabbed his hand and pulled him to her again. "Nothing… You did nothing wrong. These are tears of joy, you make me that happy." She smiled up at him and he smiled back before kissing her again with greater passion. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

With in a week the serum was ready for testing but Dr. Spencer felt it might be best to wait until Zack's return from Colorado. The Seattle fam ate dinner happily enjoying their success.

"To my brother and sister in law for their tireless efforts to ensure the welfare of Little Liam," Logan said as a toast. Max and Cindy looked nervously at Jondy for a reaction. None came. Poker face for company. 

Truth was Krit and Jondy had been working diligently to avoid talking about what might be brewing between them. Their late night conversations had all but ceased. Krit felt sure that Jondy was interested in Sebastian and Jondy felt sure that Krit only saw her as a sister. Fiona still had hopes that Jondy would come around to liking Sebastian, so she neglected to mention Krit's questions about love to anyone. It was becoming harder to deny the electricity between them and soon she would have to break down and say something. 

Dinner moved smoothly until Liam kicked Max violently. "Ouch. Hey, cut that out," Max demanded. In a minute she knew something was wrong by the vibrations in her belly. "I don't mean to worry anyone…but Bling could you check the baby's heartbeat," she said quite seriously. 

The dining room became a flurry of motion. Krit spoke first, "He's seizing…I can hear him..."

"So can I," Jondy said taking his hand briefly.

Max's face was tear stained in seconds. Fiona flew to the phone and called Jessica. Logan and Max were huddled together around their son praying he would be ok. Bling came with the stethoscope. "The baby's heartbeat is erratic. Get Jess here Fi," Bling commanded. 

Cindy thought out loud, "What if Max took some of her pills? Wouldn't it flow into Liam?"

"Jess just said the same thing. She's on her way," Fiona announced to the frightened parents as Cindy got the meds. Max swallowed three for good measure and waited. 

It seemed an eternity for Jessica to arrive and check on Liam. "I'm glad I was in the neighborhood… The meds helped but any prenatal seizures are hazardous to Liam's health. I think we'll need to up your dosage to help compensate for his need as well."

Krit spoke firmly, "Let's run the test. I know the risks…let's just get it done. I don't want him to have to go through that again."

"Zack is the one who has worked most closely with the serum. I want him to look over the final product before we proceed any further," Jessica responded.

Krit said nothing and just grabbed Jondy by the arm and headed out. 

"Where are we going?" she said half dragged down the stairs to the garage.

"Don't worry. Just come on," he said grabbing his bike and nodding Jondy to get on it. At any other moment she would have been flattered or maybe even turned on, now she was just scared.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The lab was dark when they arrived at Sebastian's. "Krit… What are we doing?" Jondy insisted as she put her helmet down.

Krit got the serum, liquid tryptophan, and two syringes. He filled one syringe with the liquid tryptophan and the other with the serum. "We are saving our nephew!" he snapped. "Give me the serum… if I start to seize give me the other as well."

"No way… It might kill you!"

"This is what I came for Jondy… Not like I have much going for me…I'll ensure that baby lives better then we did," he responded.

"He already will, Krit! Please don't ask me to do this," she begged. 

"I have to do this… We have no idea when Zack's coming back Jondy. This is what loves about J, sacrifice," Krit said searching Jondy's eyes. 

They moved as one back to the examination table in the room. Krit was about to lie down when a thought struck him. "I have to do one thing before the shot."

"What's that?" Jondy asked with alcohol swab in hand.

Krit looked at her briefly then kissed her. This wasn't a little sweet 'I like you' kiss. This was an 'I may never wake up' kiss. Jondy responded in kind with strong passion and energy. Sebastian went to check on the motion detector the pair had set off on accident. He saw through the glass the blonde he had developed feelings for kissing the dark haired man she had been working next to for over a month. Sebastian rolled away from the window broken hearted. 

Jondy broke off the kiss to whisper, "We'll talk about this once the serum works." He gave her a sexy smile. She swabbed his arm and injected him with the serum before kissing him lightly again. She held his hand waiting to see what would happen. The light in his eyes faded as he began to seize. Jondy administered the other injection. The seizing stopped suddenly. 

Krit looked too still. Jondy checked his pulse to find his heart wasn't beating. 

"NO! KRIT!!! KRIT!!! WAKE UP! NO!!!" 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**A/N: Doesn't it suck I just caught a major case of writers block!**

****

**A/N2: I'm lying. I know exactly where this is heading. I just plan on making you wait. I might be persuaded to post the next chapter sooner if I got reviews encouraging me to do so. **


	10. Just Breathe

Title: Just Breathe

**A/N: I was waiting for this chapter to be beta-ed, but since I received such an outpouring I will go ahead and post. _I don't want to hear about grammar stuff in reviews OK. OH and you better review!!!_**

Title: Just Breathe

Name: Joy

Email: SleepingBeauty2@ziplip.com

Rating: PG-13

"You are not allowed to die on me!" Jondy shouted at Krit's lifeless body. She knew she had seen paddles around the lab somewhere… CPR, she needed to do CPR. Having worked as a nurse's aid for a little while would finally bear some fruit. She climbed a top of Krit's chest and breathed into his mouth. Jondy started compressions on Krit's chest as Sebastian rolled back to see what the screaming was about. 

For a brief second Sebastian mistook the compressions as a sexual act. Once he understood what was happening he called Logan's cell phone to ask what to do. "Logan…" the mechanical voice said.

"Sebastian… I don't have time to talk right now. Krit and Jondy took off like two bats out of hell," Logan said while driving. 

"I know, they're here. Krit seems to be… Jondy is doing CPR," Sebastian responded. 

"Dammit!" Logan swore.

"What?!" said Jessica from beside him.

"You were right. They did the experiment and it backfired. Jondy is doing CPR on Krit right now."

"Tell Sebastian to let Jondy have his portable paddles. She has enough medical training to not cause any permanent damage until I get there," Jess said.

"You get all that Sebastian?" Logan asked.

"Yeah."

Sebastian rolled into the lab with the paddles. "Jessica said for you to use these. She's on her way." 

"Thank you," she said with tears in her eyes. She stumbled from the table and opened Krit's shirt. She checked for breath and a heartbeat before placing the paddles on his chest. Krit's long lean body lurched up with the force of the electricity. Once again Jondy checked for a rhythm or breathing but none was found. She charged the paddles higher and laid them on his bare chest again. His lifeless body lurched up. Krit breathed in and Jondy could detect a faint heartbeat.

Jondy wept holding Krit's hand, "You don't get to leave me like this. It's not an option."

Sebastian watched helplessly as Jondy looked on with love at Krit. He wouldn't woo and she wouldn't fall. Manticore girls weren't easy. They were very complicated.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once Logan and Jessica arrived at the lab, they turned it into a makeshift hospital. With tubes and wires going every which way, Krit looked awfully like he did when they would run experiments on the kids at Manticore. Jondy refused to leave his side despite his appearance. She had done this to him and she wasn't going to abandon him. 

Fiona made the call Jondy had begged her not too. She didn't want Zack's only freedom he had ever indulged himself to be cut short. Fiona let Max make the choice since she was whom the serum would in the end affect the most. Max opted to ask Zack to come to Seattle to help Jessica find out what went wrong and how to correct it. 

"Hello," a perky voice said in Colorado.

"This is Fiona. I need to speak to Zack…now," said Fi trying to convey the urgency of her call.

An agitated male voice answered, "What's wrong?"

"Ya know that stupid Manticore male pride that drives you to be obnoxious… Krit's drove him to a coma."

"How?" Zack said frantically.

"Liam had a seizure in womb. Dr. Spencer has increased Max's tryptophan level to help compensate but each time it happens Liam has a greater chance of having neurological damage. The serum was finished yesterday but Jess insisted we wait until you returned to test it. After seeing what Max and Liam went through Krit decided to run the experiment anyways. If Jondy hadn't been with him, he would just be dead now. She is such a trooper, even if she's broken Sebastian's heart."

"I got everything but the last part," Zack said.

"Oh… Think you, Max and Logan then Max picking you. Truth is she never had any feelings for Sebastian… That's not important right now. Right now we need you here!" Fiona responded.

"I'm so stupid for coming here!" Zack berated himself.

"Are things going well with Rachel?"

"Yeah?"

"Then it wasn't stupid… Can I talk to her?" Fi asked.

"Sure, I guess."

"Hello," said Rachel.

"Hey… Zack is going to beat himself up a lot for coming out there because his brother did something stupid here. Please don't take it personally. The fact that he came to you should speak volumes about how much he feels for you… He would never have…" Fiona was saying when Rachel interrupted her.

"I know… I won't take it personally… Part of the package. Thanks for caring about my feelings though. It's good to know the big sister approves. I'll send him on his way. How's Jondy?" 

"Not good. Zack doesn't know this but Jondy helped Krit do the stupid thing that landed him in a coma. She hasn't left his side since it happened," Fiona explained.

"I think she has some less then sisterly feelings toward him."

"She does and he has some less then brotherly feelings toward her. That is what is making this harder. It seems that after years of separation a month of working side by side fanned the ambers between them. Maybe I can convince her to call you and talk about this," Fiona suggested.

"I'll call her cell if I don't hear from her today," Rachel stated.

"Thank you."

"No. Thank you."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Zack arrived in Seattle within hours having hopped a flight back as soon as he could. For the first time though it was a hard struggle to do what was right because he didn't want to leave Rachel behind. His sweet loving girlfriend was so understanding it made him realize how truly blessed he was. His military brat took the departure in true military wife style, a large hug and kiss with no clue when he'd be back.

Zack and Jessica worked day and night to refine the serum. The major benefit Krit had given them was the knowledge that refining the genes in his body to close the serotonin reuptake sites in his brain didn't help the problem at all. Krit's body and therefore Max's and Liam's bodies literally did not make enough serotonin. The serum had to instruct the brain to make more serotonin and leave the reuptake sites alone. Weeks rolled passed as day and night the geneticist and the wonder boy perfected the serum. 

"Max? Baby, what's wrong?" Logan asked walking into the guest room that was quickly becoming the nursery. Max was crying on the bed cuddling her stomach.

"I'm not strong enough for this Logan… I'm not. I can't sit with my brother and see him with all those tubes in him. I can't bear the thought of that happening to Liam when he is born. We're running out of time Logan… This is the month that his brain is developing the most…" Max sobbed. 

Logan wrapped his arms around his beloved. "You know that Zack and Jess are going to perfect the serum soon. We just have to be patient and have faith."

"Faith… Faith in what? God… Man… Manticore… I don't get to have the happily ever after I hoped for. I don't get to finish out what Fiona had with Ryan. We aren't going to make it Logan… One of us is going to die."

The tears that descended his wife face didn't mask the sincerity of her words. She believed that either the baby or herself would die along the way. Logan became angry, "You don't get to give up… Fiona is just a regular old human being. She survived the loss of her husband, child, parents, and me for lack of a better term. She still had faith and hope in the world. You have everyone you love working for you and our baby. Giving up isn't an option. That is my child in there…Strong Irish blood and will living and breathing. You aren't going to give up on him or yourself. You hear me?" 

Max wouldn't look at him. "Answer me Max! If you give up there is no hope for either of you… We will get through this but you have to keep fighting," he said shaking her a little. "Do you understand?" Max nodded as Logan pulled her into his arms. "I love you… I need you. Don't give up on yourself or us. We can do this," he said kissing her lips and cheeks. 

"I'm sorry. This emotional roller coaster is getting ridiculous. It's just so hard. I know Liam can feel the strain of the last few weeks. I hate that I can't protect him even now from the world," Max said wiping her face and letting her husband rock her in his arms. 

"I know baby but think we get to see Liam soon. We even get a new picture tomorrow. Come on I'll get you settled into bed."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jondy had a comfortable recliner brought into Krit's room so she could sit with him. Sebastian felt the furniture was the least he could do to help ease her pain. Feelings or no feelings, he hated to see her suffer. 

"Tomorrow Max will get the newest picture of little Liam Galen Krit Cale. Such a long name for such a small person," Jondy said thoughtfully to Krit. She remembered the thing with coma patients was they could hear you in some cases. With each day it became less likely that Krit would ever regain conscience but Jondy wouldn't let go.

"It's been nearly a month Krit. You'll be so surprised at how big Max is. I could never imagine that little body could carry that much weight. She's sleeping a lot since her body is concentrating on creating a person. Zack says he and Jess will have the serum ready in the next couple days so you better be ready to talk about that kiss…" Jondy broke down weeping into his bed sheets. It wasn't fair to have him leave her the way he did… She was supposed to have time with him. 

"What…Kiss?" Krit struggled to say.

Jondy looked up in total disbelief. He was so pale and sick looking, but his eyes were open and he was smiling. He began to cough shaking her back to reality. "Here, have some water," she said offering a shaky cup.

He took the cup and laid his hand atop hers. "I should be shaking, not you," he said smiling warmly. Jondy almost started to cry again. "No, no. No more tears," he said before kissing her lightly. 

Jondy woke bolt up in her chair in Krit's room. It was early morning. There was no cup of water. Krit hadn't woken up… It was all just a dream. "No!" Jondy screamed and began to ball as she rocked herself back and forth. Zack heard her yell and came to check on her. He pulled her into his arms and held her. She beat her frustration out on his chest until she collapsed crying again. "It's not fair Zack…It's not fair. We weren't made to handle emotions this strong… I … It hurts too much."

"Baby sister…he's going to wake up. We're almost done. His brain will start behaving right and he'll wake up," he said with confidence.

"How can you be sure?"

Zack smiled and said, "I honestly believe that if two chimeras can fall in love with one another, heaven and earth can't keep them apart." Jondy clung to Zack as she looked over his shoulder at Krit lying in the bed same as he had been every day for a month. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	11. The Serum

Title: The serum

Title: The serum

Name: Joy

Email: SleepingBeauty2@ziplip.com

Rating: PG-13

Zack shook Jessica awake at three a.m. in Sebastian's Lab, "It's done." Her eyes repeatedly opened trying to comprehend what he had said. "The serum is done. Look over the adjustments I made and see what you think."

Jessica sat up and looked over the formula. The key change was making the gene therapy to increase the serotonin level in the brain so the seizures would never be triggered. The smile on Jessica's face showed Zack all he needed. The pair synthesized the serum into the early hours of the morning. By the time most of Sebastian's staff arrived for work it appeared they could test it on Krit by nine. 

Not wishing to upset Jondy, Fiona was employed, with strict orders not to let the rest of the family know, to keep Jondy occupied while the experiment was taking place. "So did you see the sonogram? Liam was sucking his thumb," Fiona asked handing Jondy some tea. "He's really doing great despite the stress Max has been under."

"I think I have…The last few days seem to be running together." Jondy set her cup of tea down on a countertop. "I really should back to Krit. I don't want him waking up alone."

"Zack's with him now. He'll be fine… I've been meaning to tell you something. I owe you an apology. I shouldn't have pushed you together with Sebastian. Especially once I knew Krit had feelings for you," Fiona owned looking at her cup.

"What do you mean? How did you know?"

"The night Zack ran off to Colorado it was obvious once I was alone with Krit he didn't want you alone with Sebastian. He was afraid that you had feelings for him. Repeating Max and Logan with himself starring as Zack. Krit asked me about how you know when you're in love… He never said it was you he was thinking about…but he really didn't need to say it," Fiona said looking Jondy in the eye. 

"Thank you for telling me," Jondy tearfully responded.

"Thank you for not killing me for holding out on you." Both women began to chuckle.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I'll give him the injection and you hold down his body," Jessica instructed Zack. With a nod they began. The tired researchers watched to see what would happen to the strong man in the coma. Zack prayed his brother would wake up. 

No motion or reaction happened for a long while. A slight groan exited Krit's lips after ten minutes. "Krit… Krit… Can you hear me?" Zack asked in desperation.

"Agh…" was the noise coming from his chest. 

Jessica checked Krit's vitals as Zack tried to communicate with him. "It might be best if we brought Jondy in now. She will have the best shot of reaching him," Jessica suggested. Zack reluctantly nodded not wanting his sister to suffer any further.

Zack walked Jondy into Krit's room and said, "He's been given the serum. Try to get him to open his eyes."

"Why wasn't I here for the shot?" she demanded.

"After the nightmares you'd been having, I didn't want you to see his reaction if it was negative."

Jondy saw the peace and well-meaning look in her brother's eyes. She accepted his explanation and turned to her love. He looked the same as he did before, just breathing deeper. "Krit… Krit… It's me. It's Jondy. I've been here everyday Krit. You were never alone… I… I need you to open you eyes now Krit. It's time to come back."

"Jjjjjjjjjjj." Krit was trying, but not very successfully.

"Open your eyes… Open your eyes for me." Nothing happened. Jondy breathed deep and leaned down to kiss Krit lightly on the mouth. Much to everyone's surprise Krit kissed back.

With his eyes shut he said, "I… knew… I… could… get… a kiss… out… of… this." A small smile spread across his face as he barely blinked. 

Jondy cast herself on him bodily holding him to herself. She moved her body so she was lying down next to Krit with her head on his chest and shoulder. "Can I just say you suck for putting me through all that," she said softly, inhaling his unique scent.

"Well, if you want, then I can go back to sleep."

"Not on your life!" she demanded smiling as he attempted to hug her. The IV didn't allow him to go very far with his arm so he opted instead to kiss her forehead. "Zack, go call everybody," Jondy ordered.

"You just want time alone with Krit," Zack said with a smirk.

"Yeah. So?" Jondy countered. Zack smiled as he left the room. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Krit and Jondy looked at each other slightly sheepishly. "So we need to talk about our kiss…" Jondy launched in.

"Kisses… We've shared more then one kiss," Krit corrected. 

"My concern is with the first."

"Why?"

"Because you avoided me all that week," Jondy stated firmly.

"I thought you had a thing for Sebastian and I was just being sick for not seeing you as my sister when you only wanted me as a brother."

"I don't see you as my brother, family of course, but not a brother."

"Well that works, 'cause I feel the same way… How long have I been under?" Krit asked becoming more aware of his surroundings.

"A month. You really won't believe the size of Max's belly. You'd thing she was having twins…but Jess says that Liam is too big for natural childbirth. She's already established his shoulders are too wide for the birth canal. Apparently he's going to have his uncle's broad shoulders," Jondy said running his index finger along Krit's collarbone. 

"You touch me that way, I might get the wrong idea about your intentions toward me," Krit said with hitched breath.

"No wrong idea… I've had a month to figure out how I feel about you and what you do to me… I know I haven't felt as relaxed with a guy I've dated as I've been with you sitting up at night talking or working. I know that having you nearly die drove me to distraction but I never left your side for any long period of time. I know that my biggest brother is right - that if two chimeras, who were never built to know love, can fall for each other, neither heaven nor earth can keep them apart… You're stuck with me," Jondy said plainly nestling her head into his shoulder again.

"You love me?" he barely whispered.

"Yes… That's what love is, remember- sacrifice. You said that," she whispered.

"Yeah… but… no one… No one has ever said that to me before."

Jondy looked into Krit's eyes, "Then let's do it right… I love you." A single tear descended his cheek, which Jondy quickly kissed away. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Cale Residence."

"Hey Bling. It's Zack. The serum is done. We just gave it to Krit. He's awake."

Bling closed his eyes and sighed with relief, taking in all that he just heard. "What is it?" Max asked sipping from the cup Logan just handed her.

"It's Zack. They finished the serum. Krit's awake," he said beaming.

"Krit's awake! Give me the phone!" Max demanded as she waddled over. Bling handed off to the expectant mama. Max had her hand on her back, which was killing her from the weight. "Zack… Krit's awake…He's ok."

"Better then OK… Jondy's with him. He set her up to get a kiss. They're snuggling together as we speak… Makes me miss Rachel," Zack responded looking in the direction of Krit's room.

"Wow!" Max said as Logan came up behind her and started massaging her aching back. "So what's the next step?" 

"We slowly reduce the tryptophan level that Krit takes through his IV and see if the therapy worked. Hopefully in a few days we can level out the hormones enough that he won't be having seizures or needing meds. In which case we will give it to you and Liam. After that Jess and I will look to see if the serum needs to be modified for Jondy and I. In the end, we hope to have the serum ready for all X-5's and their children," Zack explained. 

"That's amazing… Tell Krit we're on our way over to see him… that is if we'll be allowed in the room. Jondy better not think of _doing_ anything with Krit for a while," Max warned. 

Zack adjusted his hearing to see what he could pick up in the other room. There were definite sounds of osculation and rustling of fabric. Jondy moaned slightly before Zack turned his attention back to the conversation. "I think Krit is the one who is thinking of _doing something- _namely Jondy. She doesn't sound too upset about it either."

"Zach stop eavesdropping!" Max commanded.

"Remember that the next time you have me stay in your guest bedroom sis."

Max's mind flashed to the several times that she and Logan had been unable to keep their hands off each other when Zack spent the night in the penthouse. "ZACK!"

"Haha… Tell Logan that high pitched squeal thing he does when he's…well, ya know… is really girly," Zack taunted.

Max's face became very hot and flushed. "What is it, honey?" Logan asked. Max burst out laughing knowing nothing else to do. "What?"

"I'll see ya soon," she said and hung up the phone laughing while looking at her confused husband. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Knock, Knock!" Zack said before even attempting to enter his brother's room.

"Go away!" Krit's voice yelled.

"Max & Logan will be coming by to see you. I suggest being presentable when they arrive," he responded.

Jondy's shoe flew at the door. "Go away," she yelled. Zack snatched his hand back pulling the door completely shut.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Max and Logan made their way to Krit's room through the corridors. Zack was leaning up against the wall as Max reached out for the door. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," Zack warned.

"Why?" Logan asked.

Zack pointed to his ear and then the wall. Max immediately adjusted her hearing through the wall. Soon enough she was hearing the heavy breathing and moaning of Krit and Jondy's lovemaking just beyond. "Oh my god!" Max said covering her mouth with her hand. "How could you have set me up to hear that?" she looked defiantly at Zack.

"Hear what?" Logan asked unable to hear anything.

"He doesn't know?" Zack asked.

"I don't know what?" Logan asked still in the dark about what was going.

"About us having excellent hearing- right up there with the animals we're created from," Zack said still passively staring at the wall. "They're done… Nope spoke to soon… Damn… He's got to have rabbit in him somewhere," Zack said quite impressed.

Logan looked at the wall then back to Zack. "You mean you can hear?" Zack began to nod. "You've never heard…" Zack began to nod again. "You've heard US!" Logan said exasperated. 

Zack just smiled at him in a mocking sort of way. "I guess Max didn't deliver my little message from the phone, huh?"

"Zack, if you ever want to be invited over again you will not say another word!" Max commanded. 

"Yes MA'AM!" Zack shouted saluting. 

"How long have they been at this?" Max asked. 

Zack looked at his watch, "Since I got off the phone with you… I'm impressed I have to say. Either that coma woke him up refreshed or he is one horny little wolf…" Zack began to laugh. "Liam is going to need to be put on some drug during puberty to decrease his libido or your going to have…" he said motioning too the door to Krit's room. 

Both Max and Zack put their fingers in their ears shrinking their heads down. "What the hell was that?" Max asked.

"Jondy… Part bird- remember? High pitched… Which reminds me," Zack said turning to Logan.

"Say it and die Zack!" Max said catching her brother by the throat. He could only smile and pry her hand away from his neck. 

"Love you sis," he said sweetly.

"Bite me!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jondy and Krit laid together in sweat soaked sheets breathing heavily. "You realize that there are at least a few people out there who heard at least some of what was going on in here?" Jondy said petting Krit's chest. 

"Like I care… Nothing has ever felt that good or intense or real to me before," he said stroking her cheek. "Are you going to be embarrassed once they come in?"

She looked up at him sweetly and shook her head. "Nope… We really should get dressed and cleaned up a little," Jondy suggested.

"Well, I'd ask for a sponge bath but I know that would just lead us back to sweaty sheets again," he said kissing her forehead before she started to retrieve their clothes. "God you're gorgeous…every last inch of you," Krit said with a primal growl.

"You're not bad yourself… I however got to see you before you saw me, seeing how I was the one who was giving you the sponge bathes this last month," she said kissing his head as she handed him the new hospital gown from the closet. The one he had been wearing was ripped in their frolic. 

Krit grasped her to him quickly, "You like what you saw?" 

"I think that was evident."

"Can we work on a repeat performance later?" he asked.

"Only if the doctor says it's all right," she responded, as she got dressed. 

Krit seductively whispered in her ear, "You really should never wear clothes… This body is too perfect to be hidden."

"Ah…but then the sight wouldn't be for you only."

"True… I don't like to share," he said before she put the gown on him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By this point Jessica, Fiona, Bling, Max, Logan and Zack were all waiting for Jondy to open the door for them to see Krit. With a deep breath and a backward glance at Krit, Jondy ushered the crew in. The whole time Jondy and Krit stole longing glances at one another while friends and family talked to the recently awaken and now sated man. 

"Krit…Krit…Krit… What the hell were you thinking?" Zack asked sitting on his brother's bed.

"About what?" he responded. 

"Well one- injecting yourself, two- getting it on right after waking up, and three- pulling your IV out," Zack counted off.

"One- it got you to perfect the serum, Two- can you blame me, and Three- it was …in the way, so to speak," was Krit's explanation. Zack shook his head.

"So doc how am I fairing?" Krit asked Jessica with way too big a smile after she finished examining him.

"Very well considering… How long has the IV been out of your arm?" Jess asked.

Krit and Jondy looked at one another with her blushing slightly. "Two and half hours," Zack announced. 

"That long?" Jess said thoughtfully. "Well, I would venture to say that it is likely you won't be having a seizure anytime soon if you haven't had one by now."

"He's had an endorphin rush or three in the last two hours…so I think it may be premature to say that," Zack interjected. 

"In any case, we'll leave the IV out for now and see what happens. If in the morning you haven't had a seizure we'll see about prepping Max and Liam," Jessica said exiting the room. 

Logan kissed Max's head and rubbed her belly. "Bring that belly over here," Krit demanded. "I need to talk to my nephew." Max waddled over sitting in the chair next to the bed.

"Take my space, Max," Zack offered.

"No way… They were having sex on that bed not that long ago!" Max stated. Zack hopped up in a second. Laughter abounded while Jondy and Krit just smiled at one another thinking all sorts of naughty thoughts to be acted out later. 


	12. Moment of Truth

Title: Moment of Truth

Title: Moment of Truth

Name: Joy

Email: SleepingBeauty2@ziplip.com

Rating: PG-13

The waiting room in the Seattle hospital was packed as its occupants waited to find out how the gene therapy treatment was going. Logan and Sebastian found a hospital in the area affiliated with 'experimental' research. It was actually a hospital Sebastian used for more complicated procedures he wanted kept under wraps. 

Logan paced as Fiona nestled into Bling's chest, trying not to think about the almost four-year-old son she would have had by now. Krit was propped up in a chair against the wall holding Jondy in his arms while she observed the card game going on between Zack and Cindy. Krit was better but did periodically get dizzy - still adjusting to the new chemical levels in his brain. 

After winning another hand, Zack took a break from his activities and went to Logan. "They're going to be fine, Logan. She didn't make it this far only to have things go to hell now."

Logan huffed a bit as Zack continued to track with him, "I just hate being out here. I hate being this out of control. They're everything to me Zack." 

Zack could see the sincerity in Logan's eyes. "I know man… I know. Just remember that Max did her bed rest like a trooper, which you know was hard. The tear in the uterine wall has healed, and they've been doing really well."

"But Max's blood pressure hasn't been stable throughout the pregnancy and before Krit woke up she almost gave up…" Logan rambled before Zack stopped his movement by grabbing Logan's arms.

Zack held Logan by the shoulders and looked him straight in the eye, "You got to be the strong one here. You can't go all to pieces before you get to see Max, or she'll feel it when you're with her. Take a deep breath and remember how strong Max is…how strong Liam is."

"Thanks," Logan murmured with gratitude in his eyes.

Zack released his shoulders. "Your welcome… We're family." 

Fiona sauntered up to Logan as Zack moved away. "I told you he was a good kid," she said with a smile.

"I can see that," he said with a smile wrapping his arm around Fiona's shoulders and leaning his head to hers. "I love you, Fi."

"I love you too, Loggie."

"How you holding up?" he asked knowing this couldn't be a walk in the park for her.

"I think I'm going to spend sometime in the cemetery with Ryan and the baby. I think it'll help… I keep remembering how sore I was the first couple days after… You'll really need to pamper her after this," Fiona said leaning into her brother.

"I will… I wish this wouldn't take so long."

"I know."

"At least last time, I was allowed in with her until things went to hell…" Logan muttered dragging his fingers through his hair.

"This isn't like last time. Max already had her shot of the serum, and it went well. Now the wait is giving Liam the serum. No removal of amniotic fluid so less stress to the placenta and womb," Fiona said rubbing her brother's neck. "They're going to be fine… Hey, your giving mom that grandson she always wanted."

"No, you did that… I'm sure she takes good care of him sis." Logan whispered as Fiona broke down into tears in his arms. "Ryan would be so proud of you… I know Bling is." Logan nodded to his sister at her husband awaiting her return. She smiled as her husband approached.

Bling gathered his wife into his arms and comforted Logan. "How you holding up?"

"About as good as can be expected after last time," he muttered to his best friend and brother in law. 

"Hold on man… Max is the strongest lady I know…next to my wife of course," Bling said with a grin kissing Fiona's temple. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Max woke up in the dimly lit room with her husband caressing her cheek looking at her lovingly. "Hey, beautiful," he whispered with a hint of sensual charm.

"Hey there yourself. How'd it go?" Max asked drowsily.

"Neither you nor Liam had any negative reaction to the treatment so we're in wait and see mode," he said crumpling her hair.

"Thank god," Max muttered. 

"Hey… You did great."

"Only because you wouldn't let me give up," she said snuggling into the warmth of his hand. 

"I just reminded you what you were fighting for. You fought for years to find your family. I knew you had it in you," he said as he kissed her forehead followed by her lips. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Liam was set to make his arrival into the world on Monday morning two weeks from the present date, leaving Max and Logan some good alone time. Everybody took shifts at the penthouse guarding the couple and their unborn child. 

"Sweetheart," Logan whispered as they both caressed her belly on their bed. "Rachel's flight came in about fifteen minutes ago, and Fiona is bringing her over. Do you want to get up for Jondy and Zack's surprise?" 

Max yawned wide trying to comprehend the words spoken to her. "Sure. I want to see my brother in love… It should be a sight." Logan wrapped an arm around Max's back and helped her to her feet. Liam was presently going through a growth spurt that was exhausting Max. 

She waddled into her living home to see Jondy and Krit in the kitchen making sandwiches for everyone and Zack planning the best route to the birthing location chosen by he and Logan. Zack tried to conceive of every possible way to get there and back. Cindy went to the airport with Fiona to get Rachel while Bling was doing last minute shopping for the baby. They had forgotten to purchase a car seat. 

"Hello all… I come bearing a car seat for my nephew," Bling said nearing Max. "You're up…Good. We can have a proper Cale family meal."

"Not until Fiona and Cindy arrive!" Max insisted.

"Yeah, where are they?" Jondy inquired.

"I think they said they had to go pick something up," Logan said walking Max to a dinning room chair. He retrieved another for her feet. 

"Logan, I'd prefer the ataman. It's softer," Max said knowing there wouldn't be enough chairs for all of their lunch guests if she used it. 

"But this promotes better circulation," Logan insisted, not understanding her concern.

"Yes, but …" she started to say.

"But what? You've been picking fights with me all week Max," Logan said in frustration. 

"I have not… I'm just saying someone else may need the seat, and I can use the ataman," she said through clinched teeth trying desperately to keep her temper.

"There's no one more important then you… now use the chair."

"No… I don't respond well to commands."

"Max…Logan… Relax. Come on. It's the last few days before the baby is born. You really don't want him thinking you guys hate each other," Bling said trying to calm the couple that only glared. 

"Wow… What's with the glares?" Fiona asked walking in the door with Cindy but no Rachel.

"Uhh… Nothing," Max said as she and Logan looked quizzically at one another. 

Cindy crossed the room moving away from the door while Fiona positioned Zack to be closest to the doorframe. "Glad to hear it wasn't serious," she said gently. The doorbell rang. "Hey Zack? Get the door please," she said walking toward the kitchen.

Zack swung the door open without looking through the peephole. "You really should check who it is before opening the door," Rachel mimicked Zack's words when he had visited her. Zack gazed at her up and down before collecting her into his arms. One of his strong arms went around her tiny waist and picked her up to meet his lips. She threw her arms around his neck as they embraced.

"That would be Rachel, I'm guessing," Krit said to Jondy who hadn't been paying attention, too absorbed in preparing lunch. Jondy's eyes locked onto her best friend's small frame being twirled by her blond brother. 

"Put her down… I need my turn," Jondy insisted as she exited the kitchen.

"No way!" Zack said staring at his beauty in the eyes. Max was in tears seeing how happy Rachel made Zack. Krit smiled at his brother's joy as well as his lover's. To Rachel there wasn't anyone else in the room but Zack, not even Jondy.

Fiona had decided it would be a very good present for both Zack and Jondy to bring Rachel out to Seattle for the birth of Liam. Logan agreed wholeheartedly that his in-laws deserved so much for their tireless effort to save his son that the least he could do was bring Rachel for a visit. 

Zack let his eyes close just holding Rachel to his chest, feeling her heartbeat and feel her breath. Nothing was more perfect in the world then having Rachel in his arms. For her part, the fact that her boyfriend was strong enough to hold her suspended in midair for a great length of time wasn't unnerving but comforting. She felt like she was floating. When their eyes met again Zack lowered her to the floor. "My sister wants a hug," he said sweetly stroking Rachel's cheek. 

Her attention turned to her best friend behind her. "Hey there girl."

"Well, it's about time I'm acknowledged!" Jondy fussed with hands on her hips. They hugged each other with a great deal of excitement. "I'm so happy you're here… Not as much as Zack, mind you, but…" Zack interrupted Jondy by swatting at her. 

Rachel stepped around Jondy to address Krit in a way only a best friend can, "So you must be Krit?" 

"Yeah…" he said with apprehension.

"Do you know how much trouble you caused?" Rachel stated poking her finger into his chest. "You wait until right before the shot to let her know how you feel, go off half cocked and make my beloved roommate inject you with something that stops your heart…major guilt…and you stay in a coma for a month causing my poor friend to remain catatonic at your side. I am very mad with you!"

Krit stared at the small blonde quite perplexed. "Uhh… I'm… ahh," he muttered looking from Rachel to Jondy and back again.

"Go save your boy from my girl," Zack instructed Jondy. 

"You call off your girl! I'm enjoying this," she responded with a laugh.

"Rachel…" Zack called softly. 

She raised an eyebrow at him then returned to intimidating the chimera. "So what do you have to say for yourself?" Rachel demanded with out turned hip.

"I'm sorry?" Krit said quizzically. Rachel narrowed her brow. "I'm sorry I put Jondy through that. I should have waited for the injection to be done in a safer environment…I shouldn't have made Jondy give me the shot… I … I… I love her…if that matters. I would never intentionally hurt her."

Jondy smiled and came to Krit's aid, "Ok Rachel. Enough. You've asserted 'power of the best friend' and he'll behave."

"I should hope so… Now introduce me. I've met Fiona and Cindy. I'm assuming the pregnant lady is Max and the guy with the glasses in Logan since Fiona was describing the beauty of her husband's dark skin," Rachel said looking around the room. Krit relaxed, as the proper introductions were made to all. Diffusing Rachel's focus from him alone seemed wise. 

"Lunch is almost ready… Everyone but Max help set the table," Jondy commanded. 

"We're going to need another chair," Zack said as he brought the glasses out.

"See Logan, I wasn't trying to be argumentative, I just didn't want to say we were going to need this chair for the surprise guest," Max said to her smiling husband.

"Sorry… My mistake," Logan said kissing her cheek.

With lunch ready the family sat down to enjoy it. Jondy and Krit weren't know for their cooking but they could manage sandwiches. The conversation mainly focused on Rachel and her stories of Jondy as well as recent stories of Zack. His general confusion over tipping a musician at a coffeehouse seemed to get a raise out almost everyone. Laughter abounded, as Max smiled surrounded by her family. Life couldn't be sweeter, not until the baby arrived. 

Liam seemed to agree… "OUCH!!!" Max yelped.


	13. The Arrival

Title: Arrival

Title: Arrival

Name: Joy

Email: SleepingBeauty2@ziplip.com

Rating: PG-13

"Ouch?" Logan asked as his wife doubled over in pain. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know… but my guess is labor," Max said shooting him a heated glare. 

"Oh my god…" Logan looked like he was about ready to faint. 

Original Cindy was by Max's side in a blink of the eye. Fiona headed for the telephone to call Jessica and then Sebastian to see if there was a location Max could have the C-section without the paper trail. Bling got his stethoscope and hurried to Max's side. 

"Boo, don't break my hand," Cindy warned as Max squeezed the life out of it. 

"Sorry."

"Zack, take care of Logan before he is completely useless," Bling commanded as he listened at Max's stomach. "OK Hun… His heart rate is good but Liam's head has dropped, so he's intending to come out. I'd like Jess's opinion though…It could be false labor."

"IT'S not false labor!" Cindy fussed.

"I know she's hurting you but that doesn't mean…. Oh…" Bling said as he realized Max's water broke. "Alright where too? Logan? Zack?" Both men looked at each other with complete shock and fear. Zack had been attempting to get Logan up off the floor only to remaining sitting himself. 

Fiona stood over both men and gawked. "Oh get up ya wusses. Women have babies everyday. This isn't a huge deal. Get your asses up!" Fiona commanded. The men stood up on their own two feet and was prepared to be ordered around. "We're headed to Sebastian's. Turns out he had been preparing for this little possibility. There's a 'birthing room' set up for you over there. Jess is on her way. Jondy, you'll be working as Jess's nurse for this. Bling, of course will be there to give you back rubs and annoying pep talks. The rest of us will wait…that is unless my brother can find his sea legs… The main thing we need to worry about is finding an anesthesiologist on short notice."

"Logan," Max yelled. 

"Yeah?" he answered back with fear in his voice.

"Find me an drug man on that computer of yours or so help me God you will never touch me again!" she demanded.

"No problem," he said helping his wife to her feet, finally out of his shock-induced trance. Cindy grabbed a few pieces of clothing for Max while the rest stood there for a minute.

"We should get stuff for the baby," Rachel suggested while the Cales headed out.

"Yeah," called Fiona, "If you could get the baby's stuff and some food for us that would help a lot. Jondy, you need to come with us."

"Can you handle the boys?" Jondy asked before abandoning Rachel with Zack and Krit.

"No problem," she said with a smile. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The door shut and Rachel was in charge. "All right… Krit make sandwiches, pack fruit and drinks. Zack show me where the baby stuff is." Zack led the way into the nursery, while Krit hurried into the kitchen. Rachel's eyes sparkled when she saw the set up. "It's beautiful."

"So are you…" Zack said before wrapping his arms around her and dropping kisses on her neck. "You arrived just in time."

"Zack as much as I love feeling your touches and caresses, we need to get stuff together for your sister and nephew. Besides there very well could be a lot of waiting so we'll find time later to make out in a dark corner together."

"Promise?" he said in a husky whisper before suckling her ear. 

"Oh yeah," Rachel said with passion.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"OK now explain to me what's happening?" Krit asked Jondy who was dressed in her scrubs by this point. 

"The baby wants out but is too big to make it out the birth canal safely. We're waiting on the substitute anesthesiologist that Logan found at a local hospital. He knows the anesthesiologist they were originally planning on using when Liam was scheduled to be born," she responded.

"So you're actually going to help deliver the baby?" Krit asked with surprise.

"Yeah, so?" 

"Well… I didn't know you knew anything about nursing."

"Moron, who'd you think saved your life?" Jondy said in frustration.

"Jess?" Krit responded.

"Do you recall her being in the room when you were given the injection?"

"No…"

"Well then…" Jondy huffed and turned to leave. Krit grabbed her by the wrist and dipped her backwards into a kiss. 

"2 points for style," piped Rachel who had been watching the exchange. 

"Jondy come on… The anesthesiologist is here…" Bling called from the birthing room. Jondy kissed Krit briefly and hurried in.

"I hate this place," Krit pouted.

"Why?" Rachel asked.

"Well the fact that it's sterile, reminds me of Manticore, and I died in that lab comes to mind," he quipped.

"I would think you would love it here," Zack said with a smile playing with Rachel's fingers. Krit looked at him like he was nuts. "I mean…this also marks the location of where you kissed Jondy first, she told you she loved you first, and… oh yeah… you slept together for the first time…for hours. I would think whatever hesitance you have about this place should be gone by now." Krit just stared at his brother while Rachel laughed.

Bling, Original Cindy, and Fiona came out of the birthing room to join the others in what became the waiting room. "She looks really good for about to give birth," Bling said.

"Yeah, Jess said that the baby looks like he's been gain about a pound a day recently. She thinks he's gonna be between nine to ten pounds… chalk it up to that revved up DNA," Fiona stated happily, snuggling into Bling's arms. 

"Boo nearly broke my hand… I still can't feel it. Let Logan hold her hand…He's the responsible party," Cindy said seating herself next to Krit.

Zack watched Bling and Fiona snuggle together and asked, "So are you guys talking about kids?"

The couple looked at each other and laughed. "You could say that…" Bling said kissing Fiona's forehead. 

"I just found out I'm pregnant… Surprise. We were planning on waiting to tell Logan and Max until after the baby was born… Now we have to," the blonde woman said with a smile that just glowed.

"Well good. You'll be a great mom," Zack said with a smile. "Another niece or nephew… Maybe this time I'll get the middle name after me," he said nudging Krit still slightly bitter that Krit was part of Liam's name. 

"Enough with the jealousy…It ain't pretty on you, remember?" Fiona reprimanded. Zack looked up shamefaced as Rachel soothed her savage beast. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Wow. This is amazing. We can watch the baby's heart rate and your contractions just with this little machine. This is just amazing," Logan was completely taken in by the gadgets in the room.

"Logan Cale, until my medicine kicks in, you're not allowed to talk…because if you do talk, I will kill you. I really don't want to be a widow or leave my child without a father, so shut up!" Max shouted.

"But honey I love you and want to say encouraging…" Logan began. 

Max grabbed him by the shirt collar and looked him dead in the face; "YOU'RE GOING TO PICK A FIGHT WITH ME NOW?!?! I hate you with a passion at this moment… DON'T MAKE ME KILL YOU!"

"Well that sounds like a woman in need of meds," the anesthesiologist said calmly as he entered the room. "Everything looks good so I'm going to give you this injection. Dad… Help your wife roll over… And for god's sake don't talk."

Logan helped Max roll onto her side as the doctor gave her the shot. She winced for a second then began to relax. The meds took effect almost immediately allowing the lower half of her body to become completely numb. The idea was to all but stop the contractions and allow Max to be awake for the c-section. 

"Alright Max, can you feel this?" Jessica said touching the skin she would be cutting into. 

"I can't feel anything below the waist… That will come back right. I mean as annoyed as I am with Logan for the pain I was in, I'd eventually like to enjoy sex again," Max asked anxiously.

Jessica chuckled, "Well you'll have feeling in your legs again before the six weeks of abstinence from sex I recommend after giving birth."

"SIX WEEKS?!" Logan stated in frustration. "But she heals so quickly? Do we really have to wait six weeks?" he pled, obviously still very attracted to his wife even in her present state of pregnancy. 

"Then it will be her call but you must at least wait a month to satisfy me that she's okay. Now shall we proceed with your child's birth?"

Logan looked shamefaced at Max, cursing himself for his weakness when it came to his absolute worship of her body, mind, and soul. Maybe if he weren't so attracted to her he wouldn't come off like such a dog!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

All heard a high-pitched squeal in the waiting room. Little Liam came into the world pissed off he didn't get to go down the birth canal, that people were wiping him off, and he wasn't with his mother. Mom was definitely the most important part of the equation because Liam didn't quit crying until he was nestled into his mother's arms. 

Max's tear stained face shown with all the love and joy she felt. Logan watched in wonder, as his small son knew instinctively who they were by the sound of their voices. Once Liam had his bearings a bit, he looked up at his mother and father as if to say 'Oh there you are.' 

Jess surveyed the scene before saying, "Well isn't that the most beautiful & healthy baby in the world? So far his tests look good: great weight and height for a preemie. Nine pounds is unheard of for the number of weeks he was born at. I'd like to run a couple blood tests on him now to make sure things are proceeding the way we hope. Oh… Do you want him circumcised?"

"That's not really something to ask a guy," Logan said thinking of the pain his son would endure for the procedure. Max gripped Logan's hand prompting him to say, "Yeah… go ahead."

Max and Logan looked down at their son and realized only moments after birth he would already suffer pain. "Can I hold him while you take his blood?" Max asked.

"Of course," Jessica said as she prepared the syringe. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Why hasn't someone come out to talk to us yet?" Krit asked pacing up and down the hall worried about his namesake. 

"Lots of things have to happen right after a baby is born," Fiona said trying to calm the flustered boy. 

A high-pitched squeal was heard again in the lobby. Krit took off down the hall with Zack running after him. "Krit, Liam's probably being circumcised or something," he tried to explain before Krit burst through the doors.

"What's wrong? Is everything okay? Is Liam okay?" Krit said in a hurry.

"He's fine Krit. They just took some blood," Logan responded as Max comforted her small boy on her shoulder.

"Oh…" was all the worried uncle managed to say.

Jondy came along side him and held him to her. "He's fine. I promise. Let us get finished up OK. You can see the baby and Max real soon."

"Krit," Max called. "Do ya want to hold him for a second."

"I might break him."

"Not a chance," she said with utter confidence. 

Krit gathered the nine-pound, red, wiggling, alien looking thing into his arms. "I'm your Uncle Krit. You remember, your favorite uncle? Wow you're small. I promise to help you through puberty and stuff. It's a weird time… I'll have more intelligent things to say to you when I'm not fearing for your life." Krit laid the Liam in Logan's arms and left the room with his tail between his legs. 

"Did ya get to see him?" Fiona asked.

"Yeah," Krit responded.

"Ya don't seem excited about it," Cindy said from her seat.

"It's weird… This whole experience… We spend our whole lives running away from each other and Manticore only to come back together for this very small person. It's just unfathomable that the little baby in there is the reason I finally feel like I have a family. It's a lot to comprehend," he said sitting down.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Max was sleeping soundly with Logan at her side holding Liam. Jondy was running interference with the many aunts and uncles that wanted to see the newest addition to the Cale family. These moments at the beginning of his son's life were all that Logan had wished for: quiet and serene.

"Hey there Liam… I'm your Papa. I've been the guy talking to you at your mom's tummy. You're more perfect than I even imagined… I hope you look more like your mom and Uncle Krit. Then again if you could hang on to those blue eyes you have right now- I'd be so grateful. A little part of your appearance that would be uniquely me," Logan said to his son, who was wide-eyed and looking at his father.

"I should have expected you to be like your mama and never sleep. It's going to be weird to have her up all night again. I got used to you two being in bed with me. I'm not sure I'm ready to give that up…" Logan paused to lean the baby closer to his Sleeping Mother. "Look at her Liam. Isn't she gorgeous? You are a lucky little boy. Your mom can teach you how to use that revved up DNA of yours in moderation. We're going to have to figure out the ethics of 'breaking and entering' now that you're here…" Liam began to fuss a little. "Oh don't worry…I'm sure your mama will still teach you how."

"He's hungry Logan… not frustrated you won't let him break in places," Max's tired voice said as she sat up a little. "Ok, let's see if I've the instincts of an actual mama," she said with outstretched arms. 

Logan laid the little prince into his mother's arms. Max drew down the top of her gown open, exposing her breast to her son's waiting mouth. Liam latched on like nobody's business and started sucking away. "Hey…Ouch… Not so hard there Little One," she said to her son as she stroked his cheek. Max's attention turned back to her husband; "He sucks about as hard as you when you're really excited."

"Hey!" Logan yelped as he sat on the bed next to his wife. He looked at his son's expression staring at Max, "I know the feeling Kid. It was love at first sight for me too." Max softened her expression and kissed Logan. 

"I love you so much," she whispered.

"He made it Max. Liam's here. We've got our baby," Logan beginning to tear up as Max openly cried. "I love you." He kissed her lips and gazed lovingly at his son drinking mother's milk. 

TBC


	14. Liam

Title: Liam

**A/N: Here is the last chapter. I'm uploading it un-betaed because my betas are very busy right now. Since I know your patience is limited, here it is.Hope you've enjoyed reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it.**

Title: Liam

Name: Joy

Email: SleepingBeauty2@ziplip.com

Rating: PG-13

Three months had past since the birth of Liam Galen Krit Cale. After the initial activity of countless aunts and uncles busing themselves with gift obsession, life got back to normal. Krit and Zack thought it was only proper they should get the little boy his first motorcycle- luckily a variety of toy motorcycles were found. They opted for getting a few to grow into- for the present time the stuffed motorcycle would have to do while the battery operated remote control one would wait till Liam was older. 

Jondy, Cindy, and Rachel went for the developmental toys with bright colors and shapes. Cindy found an inch worn that made different noises at each section. Fiona and Bling got the softest blue bear they could find. 

Krit, Jondy, Rachel and Zack headed back to Colorado while they tried to decide how life should go. Rachel and Zack were a bit cautious about moving in together while Krit and Jondy were ready to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel. Since this would require either Krit moving in with both girls or Rachel find a new roommate, all options seemed to be a little off. Rachel had moved with Jondy from their home in Washington so the situation was a bit heartbreaking to her. 

Jondy on the other hand, felt awful because she wanted to be with both her best friend and Krit. Logan and Fiona suggested all four of them move to Washington State since Rachel had family there and it would be a great deal closer to the Cale clan. The inclusion of Zack in this supposed move was a clear sign how far Logan had come in his acceptance of the X5 in their family. Presently the four were headed back to Seattle for three-month party for Liam. To no one's surprise Logan was the most doting father in the world who would use any excuse to celebrate his wife and child. 

"I don't know what you're talking about. Liam looks like Logan's baby pictures. He's got the blond hair and blue eyes… The eye shape and nose are very Max but the rest is all Logan," Fiona insisted as she cut up cucumbers for the salad she was working on.

"No way! Baby Boo is the spittin' image of Max just with blond hair and blue eyes. He's going to have her colorin' in no time," Original Cindy insisted setting the table for the family dinner. 

"I think he's a nice mix of both of them," Bling said in his non-confrontational way. Both women looked at him like he was nuts. 

"Hello all!" Jondy announced the arrival of the Colorado crew. Krit followed his love inside with Zack and Rachel in tow. You would have thought it the arrival of the newlywed game with the smiles and giggles. 

Rachel looked well suited amongst the X5's while still standing on her own two feet. Zack jokingly called her 'The General' because she firmly embodied the idea of a small woman with a large voice. She had successfully mediated arguments between the X5's that got slightly out of control by simply standing up and yelling, "QUIET!!!" 

"Well, look who's home?" Cindy said leaping from the counter she had been resting on. Hugs were shared all around. It took only seconds for Fiona to spot one of the significant changes to the group. 

Jondy had two pieces of conspicuous looking jewelry on her left ring finger. "Krit- what the hell have you done without our knowledge?" Fiona demanded seeing the beautiful diamond ring on Jondy's finger. 

Krit turned slightly red and spoke, "I thought it the most appropriate thing to do considering…"

Fiona's brow began to knit together, "Considering what?" 

"Don't kill me!" Krit said hiding behind Jondy.

Fiona's attention turned to Zack and Rachel. "How bad was it?" she asked the people who would have had to deal with the effects of the couples… activities.

They looked at each other and then Zack said, "Pretty bad. The smell of sex and hormones were in the air for days… It was more disturbing than anything else to see the bruising and bite marks. It was one of those times I thanked God I'm not female."

Fiona turned again to Krit and Jondy, "So my dear how far along are you?"

Jondy smiled and patted her stomach, "Eight weeks… We're here to see if Jessica would be willing to monitor me from time to time… A little more risky then Liam since we're both X5." Jondy tried not to show the ache in her heart for the life in her womb. She wanted this child- badly. 

Krit nestled her into his arms. "We'll do everything we can… I promise. We're going to find a place here for the time being before moving back to Washington with Rachel and Zack."

"Why don't ya stay with me for now?" Cindy offered. "I'd like to have some life in my little house now that Max is gone and I ain't got a boo of my own."

Krit hugged Cindy and nodded in gratitude. 

Fiona hugged Jondy and sighed deeply. "Wow… You're just beginning to show. Liam's going to have a couple cousins soon," Jondy said laying her hand on Fiona's belly.

"You know you can count on us to help with medical expenses?" Fiona informed Jondy. The two women held each other in a moment of true sisterhood. 

Cindy strolled over to Zack who was hugging his honey. "What we got here sug'r? That looks awfully like a set of matchin' rings to me?" Original Cindy said looking at the lily-white hands intertwined. 

"You won't have without me there?" Fiona said with a deep pout.

"Wow, those hormones really are kicking up a storm, aren't they?" Zack responded, prompting a punch from the pregnant woman. "No, we didn't. You remember you told me about the Claddagh ring from Ireland that Ryan gave you as a promise ring- That's what we did…. Now where is my nephew?" 

Bling spoke as he wrapped his arms around his small wife, "Logan, Max and Liam went for a walk. Logan wanted your arrival to be a surprise to the Little One. Like Liam will remember you and be surprised!"

"Hey, I died for that kid. He better remember me," Krit demanded much to the amusement of the others. 

"He's got a good memory by default- even at three months I'm sure he will recognize them, " Fiona soothed. "For goodness sake, the kid is the size of a six month old, sits up by himself and has assigned grunts of different consonants to identify each of us."

"Well then I should definitely be his first word," Krit exclaimed. 

"Enough with the ego, okay?" Jondy said quietly. "I'm sure our munchkin will call you daddy first I'm sure."

"I hate to admit this, but I really wanted you to get pregnant," Krit seductively whispered into Jondy's ear. "The idea of getting to see your body soften and swell with our child," a primitive growl was let forth. 

"Stop it Krit!" Zack said with disgust. "This is why we can't live with them…" Zack said turning to Rachel, "I hear all the things he says to her that are meant only for their ears. I can't turn sensitive hearing on and off as well as they can so I'm perpetually hearing things I don't want visuals to!" 

"It's okay baby. We'll figure something out soon," Rachel said softly.

"I mean really. I know way too much about Logan and Max's sex life as well as Krit and Jondy's. It's a wonder I'm not deaf by now from the…" Zack was silenced by a small kiss from Rachel.

"You're talking too much!" she insisted. 

"Well, I never thought I'd live to see a day when someone could utter those words to my big brother," Max said as she pushed the stroller inside the penthouse. Logan took her coat as Liam gazed around the room at the several large people that he was not accustomed to being in his home when he arrived home from a walk with mama and papa. 

From the little prince's perspective they must be nice people because mama and papa were hugging them and generally happy to see them. Liam recognized the tall bald one as Bbb and the small pale one as Fff. The curly haired one came over and picked him up and gave him a big hug and kiss. Liam felt the need to acknowledge he knew who she was by calling her Ccii. 

Now there was a new tall person that looked very much like mama. He held Liam and quickly reminded him that he was his favorite uncle- whatever that meant. "Can you say 'Krit'?" the man asked in a strange way that only made Liam stare at him like the man was nuts. Liam did attempt the strange name and got Kkrr to come out. More than any other baby his age could boast… 

Two blonde women cooed over Liam for a while until a masterful blonde male laid claims to holding his nephew. The man looked very pale like papa but even more so. Zack reintroduced himself to his nephew with a gentleness that brought tears to aunt Fff's eyes. When Liam was returned to the waiting arms of mama, he was very confused. He fussed for a moment or two to show his displeasure at being handled like a sack of potatoes and hoped mama would feed him. 

"He is very like you Max," Logan said as Liam held his finger while nursing at Max's breast.

"He's like both of us. I'm sure we'll see the blending of our humor and manner as he grows," Max said as she stroked her son's cheek. "I'm glad he has your eyes. I so desperately wanted that."

"Well, he definitely has your appetite," he said kissing his wife's cheek.

"We're going to be an aunt and uncle soon. We're really a family," Max said as her eyes teared up. 

"Who'd have thought that with my hermit habits and your childhood either one of us would be here like this…" Logan whispered getting choked up.

"Come on Loggie," Fiona called from the dinning room. "You niece or nephew is starving…and so is your sister. So get you butt in gear and get over here." Max laid Liam on her shoulder to burp him as she and Logan made their way to the family meal they longed for and didn't know they wanted until now. 


End file.
